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AmeTicsLii Sunday Scliool Union. 



SKETCH 



OF THE 



LIFE AND CHAKACTER 



OP 



THOMAS COOKE PAUL, 

SON OF D^ARCY PAUL, 

OF PETERSBURG, VA. 



WMTTEN' FOB, THE AMERICAN STJ1TI>AT-SCH00L TTNIOW, 

BY REV. E^tD. SANDERS. 



PHILADELPHIA : 
AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 

No. 146 CHESTNUT STREET. 

NSW YORK: No. 147 NASSAU STTIEET BOSTON: No.9 GORNHILL...~XOUISF7IiJ5f.' 

Nq. 103 FOURTH STREET. 



5 






•6* 

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1849, by the 
AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of 
Pennsylvania. 



1$^ No b()okp ay^ pu^lishe^^hy^ |l}e^ME|acAN ^iji^^y-^c^Qoji "OmGW 
without the ?9hctip|i of \he c(J!(Jm%i:^itt^ of fPublic£!;t|oi^,,.^on^ sting of 
Iburteen meml}erff,' froi?i ^Ep ^ll^wll^^ (fecQ5^inatio?iB'/)fJCUris1?.ans, viz. 
Baptist Methodist, Congregationalist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and He- 
formed Dutch* ^ NQt i2irtre^^/fean i^hrectof^ the ^H\embei^c<can:be of the 
same denomiiji&tiop^ %nd^'nbt iook ^aa^*^lt3 ^ul^ish^ to whjc][i a^y mem- 
ber of the Coinsiiittce ctall oljefct.' c' .- ^ ' ' c ^ 




CONTENTS. 



2 




Page 


fi 




Chap. I.- 


— His Birth and Relatives 


5 


II.- 


—His Religious Hopes. — His 






Personal Appearance - 


12 


III.- 


—His Intellectual Qualities 


18 


IV.- 


—His Manner in Conversation - 


27 


V.- 


—His Regard for the Bible in 


;■ 




his Childhood - - . 


33 


VI.- 


—His Regard for the Bible in 






his Youth - - - - 


89 


VII.- 


—His Attention to the duty of 






Prayer - - .. , 


46 


VIII.- 


—His Attention to Family Wor- 






ship and other Religious 






Observances - - . 


53 


IX.- 


—His Interest in Missionaries - 


60 


X.- 


—His Regard for Ministers of 






the Grospel . - 


67 


XI.- 


—Thomas and his Teachers 


76 


XIL- 


— Thoma^s with his Father 

3 


84 



4 CONTENTS. 

Page 

Chap. XIII. — Thomas and his Mother - 95 
XIV.— His Regard for the Poor - 107 
XV. — Particular Acts of Kind- 
ness to the Poor - - 113 
XVI. — His Intercourse with the 

Young - - - 119 

XVII. — Thomas and the Servants 127 

XVIII.— Thomas at School - - 136 

XIX.— His Neatness - - - 144 

XX.— His Politeness - - 152 

XXI. — His Devotion to the Cause 

of Temperance - - 160 
XXII. — ^An Extract from his Ad- 
dress on Temperance - 166 
XXIII.— His Last Illness - - 172 
XXIV. — An Important Conversa- 
tion - - - - 181 
XXV.—" The Thomas C. Paul Fe- 
male Orphan Asylum'*- 189 
XXVI.— His Death - - - 198 
XXVII.— His Uncle's Letter - - 205 
XXVIIL— Remarks by his Physician 212 
XXIX. — Remarks upon his Charac- 
ter by his Pastor - - 219 
XXX. — Resolutions passed at his 

Death - - • 225 



THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER I. 

HIS BIRTH AND RELATIVES. 

My dear James, — Since your great 
bereavement, it lias for the first 
time occurred to my mind, in de- 
siring to impart consolation and 
improvement to you, to v^rite you 
a short series of letters containing 
an account of Thomas Cooke Paul, 
the most remarkable youth for piety 
and excellence I ever knevr. This 
is saying much in his praise, as my 
acquaintance with the young has 

1* 5 



6 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

been very extensive, especially dur- 
ing the years since I entered the 
ministry. Evidently prepared for 
that glorious world, to which, doubt- 
less, your deeply lamented and de- 
votedly pious mother has so recently 
gone, he was called from this life at 
an age but little greater than your 
own. He was removed to enjoy 
higher happiness, as we trust, in 
the midst of brighter scenes ; just 
as we have known a choice plant 
transferred to unfold its beauties in 
some more lovely spot. I also hope 
that your kind father, the endeared 
companion of my youth, and my con- 
stant friend in manhood, may find 
some solace to the bitterness of his 
grief, in reading this narrative with 
you, and in making his own reflee- 



HIS BIRTH AND RELATIVES. 7 

tions. And I have no doubt, froiu 
what I am happy to learn of your 
disposition and habits, you will 
listen to his remarks with the most 
respectful attention, especially as he 
has, in the character of a good father 
and of a faithful minister, a two- 
fold claim upon your reverence and 
love. Ton may rely implicitly on 
all the statements that I shall make 
respecting Thomas, for I wrote out 
the facts soon after his death, with 
the intention of publishing a brief 
sketch of his life. I also noted 
down many of his striking remarks, 
as nearly exact as it was possible 
to record them. Yet I shall be 
able to give you but a very small 
portion of his observations, which, 
from their richness and beauty. 



8 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

were like ''apples of gold in pic- 
tures of silver.^' It is my hope 
that you will find these letters enter- 
taining. "We know that intelligent 
persons are deeply interested in the 
biographies of extraordinary men. 
Why should not the young be de- 
lighted with biographies of distin- 
guished youth? JSTow, for reasons 
very easily explained, we find in our 
libraries many lives of men and but 
very few of youth. 

Few distinguish themselves in 
early life, and of this number few 
die young. And but very few of 
this limited class find a biographer 
to record their excellencies. As 
there is a manifest scarcity of this 
kind of books, I have often wished 
that the young of our country, and 



HIS BIRTH AND RELATIVES. 9 

indeed of the world, could have a 
full and just account of Thomas C. 
Paul. 

He was the fourth son of D'Arcy 
and Elizabeth S. Paul, and was 
born in the town of Petersburg, 
Virginia, September 3, 1831. He 
died June 2, 1845. In this short 
life of thirteen years and nine 
months, it is believed, he accom- 
plished much, through grace, for 
the glory of God and the welfare 
of mankind. 

His father, an extensive mer- 
chant, was compelled, from his nu- 
merous engagements, both of a 
religious and secular nature, to give 
up the direction of his early train- 
ing in a very great degree, (as is 
usually the case,) to his mother. 



10 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

As motliers generally have so much 
to do with their children at a period 
when impressions are the most 
abiding, you readily perceive, young 
as you are, how important it is that 
they should be not only very pious, 
but also well-informed. 

Thomas had no sister. His affec- 
tionate heart would have loved one 
most tenderly. His youngest bro- 
ther died in early childhood. He 
always spoke of him as being in 
heaven. Just before he himself 
was called away, he expressed the 
joyful hope of soon meeting him in 
heaven. 

As his two surviving brothers 
were much older than himself, he 
was, in respect to companionship 
whilst young, almost in the situa- 



HIS BIRTH AND RELATIVES. 11 

tion of an only child, Now, James, 
you are yourself an only child, and 
as you ajso were so long blessed 
with the constant and kind atten- 
tions of a devoted and godly mother, 
and as you are likewise favoured 
with the watchful care of a pious 
father, you can very easily imagine 
his situation in life. 




12 THOMAS C. PAUL, 



LETTER II. 

HIS RELIGIOUS HOPES — HIS PERSONAL 
APPEARANCE. 

My dear James, — In my previous 
letter you were informed of a strik- 
ing similarity in the allotments of 
Providence to yourself and to Tho- 
mas C. Paul. It grieves me deeply 
to think of another point of resem- 
blance. I allude to it, that I may 
suggest a few most consoling reflec- 
tions. As he and his mother have 
been separated, so are you now 
parted from that dear parent whom 
you so fondly and so justly loved. 
Now, as his mother confidently be- 
lieves that her child is inexpressibly 
happy, and as she would not raise 



HIS KELIGIOUS HOPES. 18 

a hand to have him brought back 
to this world of disappointment, so 
may you feel in respect to your ex- 
emplary mother. 

She offered many prayers for you* 
It is your privilege to hope that 
they will be answered. She trained 
you to excellent habits. These 
habits you can, by the grace of God, 
confirm. She gave you many choice 
precepts. These precepts you must 
strive to remember and follow. 
then how joyfully, beyond any thing 
we can conceive, will you go to her ! 
Thus David consoled himself, when 
he said of his deceased child, '^I 
shall go to him.'' 

It was a delightful thought, re- 
peatedly expressed by this pious 
youth, that he would soon be re- 



I 

I 
14 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

united to his beloved mother and 
other religious friends. He had, 
through faith, a full assurance to 
speak of this anticipated pleasure 
as confidently as if he had been 
about to sail for a residence in. 
Europe, with arrangements already- 
made for them to follow him after 
a short season. 

For many months previous to his 
last illness, no one, perhaps, wit- 
nessed more of his intellectual and 
moral excellencies than myself. At 
my first interview with him, I was 
struck with the intelligent and be- 
nevolent cast of his countenance. 
These favourable impressions were 
subsequently deepened by every de- 
velopment of his active intellect 
and warm heart. 



HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE, 15 

As I have many things to say of 
him, it may not be uninteresting 
to give you some idea of his ap- 
pearance. In size, he was small for 
his age, but of a remarkably grace- 
ful and well-proportioned form. As 
he paid unusual attention to his 
manners and to personal neatness, 
he had an air of gentility and re- 
jBnement. 

His features were delicate and 
regular. His complexion was very 
fair, and generally too pale to indi- 
cate the best health. He had a 
high expansive forehead, and clear 
blue eyes of unusual animation. 
There was in his countenance the 
manifest stamp of a lively mind 
and a kindly disposition, with a 



16 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

beaming expression of hope and 
cheerfulness. 

This assemblage of agreeable fea- 
tures made his personal appearance 
interesting. But you know that in 
our world something is almost al- 
ways wanting to complete a perfect 
picture. Had he possessed a fuller 
habit and a ruddy complexion, he 
would have been called singularly 
handsome. 

But of how very little importance 
are beauty and elegance, compared 
with a pure heart and a preparation 
for death! Had his person been 
tenfold more lovely and attractive, 
his elegant appearance could not 
have prolonged life. Now, as I 
have described him as he first ap- 
peared to me, I will close this letter 



HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE, 17 

with a brief account of my last in- 
terview with him. 

He was reclining on a couch, 
resting his head on his hand. I 
never saw his eye brighter, nor his 
countenance more placid. I had 
the great pleasure of seeing a sweet 
smile on his features, (which had 
become as pale, and, from his fair 
complexion, as white as the human 
face ever appears.) To my ques- 
tion, ''What can I do for you, Tho- 
mas?'' he replied, ''Pray for me, if 
you please," and added, with a 
cheerful, affectionate look, and in a 
confident, tender tone, "The grave 
has no gloom for me.'' 




2* 



18 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER III. 

HIS INTELLECTUAL QUALITIES. 

My dear James, — It will be in- 
teresting to you, perhaps, to receive 
some definite knowledge respecting 
the character of Thomas's mind, 
and the extent of his acquirements. 
His features, as I have already 
mentioned, were strikingly intel- 
lectual. His bright, beaming coun- 
tenance, his meditative aspect and 
inquisitive look, plainly indicated 
an active and vigorous understand- 
ing. 

His close discriminating atten- 
tion to passing occurrences of an 
interesting nature, to the neglect of 



HIS INTELLECTUAL QUALITIES. 19' 

trifles however amusing, was pecu- 
liariy characteristic. In the parlour 
and in the public assembly, he al- 
ways appeared as a most intent and 
absorbed listener. Thus he early 
acquired a vast amount of import- 
ant information, and formed the 
inestimable habit of selecting ob- 
jects most worthy of notice. 

So great was his attention to all 
public speakers, and especially min- 
isters, that he often surprised his 
friends, by repeating, in his own 
language, the facts and sentiments 
to which he had listened. Extraor- 
dinary attention makes an extra- 
ordinary memory. The memory, 
by habitual attentiveness, may be 
strengthened to a surprising extent. 
In most persons it is far more sus- 



20 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

ceptible of improvement than any 
other faculty of the mind. 

With this habit of close observa- 
tion, he had constantly enjoyed, at 
home and abroad, the society of 
many highly intelligent and culti- 
vated minds. He had, from his 
earliest years, spent much time with 
various clergymen, to whom he was 
especially attached. He had long 
read histories, biographies, narra- 
tives and the current news of the 
day, with intense interest. Conse- 
quently he had accumulated an 
amount of general information al- 
together unusual in one of his years. 

Now, James, would you like to 
know how his parents and friends 
cultivated this disposition to ac- 
quire knowledge ? They took pains 



HIS INTELLECTUAL QUALITIES- 21 

to awaken his curiosity, by remarks 
and questions. They gave instruct- 
ive answers to his inquiries. Some- 
times they referred him to an inte- 
resting article in a book or news- 
paper. Most children thus trained 
from the first, will be regarded as 
naturally gifted with a love of know- 
ledge. But how many youths are 
sadly complained of for their stupid 
dulness, their aversion to books, 
and their extreme fondness of low, 
degrading pleasures. Some of this 
class, it must be admitted, were na- 
turally deficient. But many more 
belong to it for want of pains to in- 
struct them, and to draw out their 
inquiries. Perhaps they have been 
silenced by brief, impatient, or dis- 
couraging answers. 



22 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

His habit of attentiveness merits 
this notice, for it lay at the founda- 
tion of all his attainments. He 
turned it to every matter in hand. 
He pursued nothing which he could 
not pursue with interest. He en- 
tered with his whole soul upon every 
study. 

He made himself master of all 
the ordinary branches of an English 
education. He scarcely evinced the 
slightest preference for one study 
over another. He knew they were 
all necessary, and whatever was 
necessary would, at its own pro- 
per time, receive his undivided at- 
tention. 

Had his life been spared, he 
would doubtless have made great 
progress in mathematical and phi- 



HIS INTELLECTUAL QUALITIES. 23 

losophical studies. He loved them. 
But he had made greater advance- 
ment in knowledge of the languages. 
He learned them with facility. 
When interrupted by his last ill- 
ness, he was daily making rapid pro- 
gress in Latin, Greek, and French. 
But in these studies many per- 
sons have made greater attain- 
ments at his age. He had laid a 
good foundation in accuracy, and in 
a thorough knowledge of first prin- 
ciples. But his parents had not in- 
judiciously stimulated him to extra- 
ordinary efforts. His knowledge of 
the English language was probably 
the greatest of all his intellectual at- 
tainments. He wrote it and spoke 
it uniformly with great accuracy. 
I do not recollect ever to have heard 



24 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

from him, during our long and fre- 
quent intercourse, a single inaccu- 
rate expression. 

He conversed with fluency. He 
argued, either in the debating so- 
ciety or in conversation, with close- 
ness. He declaimed with so much 
gracefulness of manner, in a voice 
so V ell modulated, and with an 
animation so natural, that an artist, 
who took a picture of him, and ex- 
hibited it at the window, inscribed 
beneath it, ''The Young Orator. '' 
For one of his years, he was the 
best debater and declaimer that I 
ever knew. 

There is an erroneous opinion 
that children and youth of remark- 
able talents and attainments are, 
necessarily, very short-lived. Hun- 



HIS INTELLECTUAL QUALITIES. 25 

dreds of cases can be quoted, of 
remarkable youth who lived to ac- 
complish great results. Of these, 
I will mention John Milton, Alex- 
ander Pope, Isaac Watts, Sir Wil- 
liam Jones, and Eobert Hall. 

The truth is, all delicate children, 
whether their minds are active or 
dull, require especial attention, and 
should not be too much confined. 
No sickly child should, by any 
means, be urged on to great efibrts. 
In some cases, no doubt, disease 
itself stimulates the mind, as a great 
injury done to a tree will hasten 
the maturity of its imperfect fruit. 

Many a parent, who is delighted 
with the advancement of a sickly 
child, does not know that it proba- 
bly results, in part, from a feverish 



26 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

excitement of the brain. Such a 
child should be kept almost entirely 
from books and exciting conversa- 
tion, and should take much exercise 
in the open air. 

Now, my dear James, as your 
constitution is somewhat delicate, 
and your habits are studious, I hope 
you will not sacrifice life or health 
for knowledge. In our schools and 
colleges, many of the most promis- 
ing youth destroy their constitutions 
by excessive confinement and ap- 
plication. An increase of know- 
ledge is a small compensation for 
ruined health. 




HIS MANNER IN CONVERSATION. 27 



LETTER IV. 

HIS MANNER IN CONVERSATION. 

My dear James, — I hope you will 
spare no pains to improve yourself 
in the use of language. Many con- 
verse sensibly who, through early 
negligence, never converse elegantly. 
Surely what must be always prac- 
tised should be admirably practised. 
Above all things, like Thomas, reject 
every vulgar phrase, and in listening 
to an intelligent friend, carefully 
observe every beautiful expression. 

His manner was marked with an 
easy, flowing courtesy on all occa- 
sions, whether with intimate friends, 
or entire strangers ; whether the sub- 



28 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

ject was serious or humorous. In 
a warm discussion lie sometimes 
appeared too positive, but never ill- 
natured. Even then he seemed 
desirous of pleasing. He aimed at a 
kindly manner, ^' soft words and hard 
arguments.'^ 

His engaging address was based 
on the first requisite of true polite- 
ness, a heart overflowing with good- 
will to all mankind. The possession 
of a benevolent disposition, and the 
cultivation of the same delicate 
taste and love of refinement, would 
render many, who are born to fewer 
advantages than he enjoyed, remark- 
ably agreeable ; ever gentle, ever pru- 
dent, ever welcome. 

One of his greatest charms in con- 
versation was a soft, well modulated 



HIS MANNER IN CONVERSATION. 29 

voice. Some of its more tender tones 
might appear to a stranger as some- 
what affected. It was entirely free 
from four great faults ; a boisterous 
loudness, a drawling monotony, a 
nasal twang, and a muttering indis- 
tinctness. Many have one or more 
of these defects without ever sus- 
pecting it. 

I think you will be pleased to learn 
by what means he improved his voice. 
He read aloud, listening to its ac- 
cents ; he embraced occasions to hear 
great orators; he frequently de- 
claimed ; and he gladly availed him- 
self of any friendly criticism. By 
so commendable a course, and by so 
great perseverance, a faulty voice 
can be corrected ; a good one brought 
to perfection. 

3* 



30 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

The most striking feature of his 
conversation was his earnestness. 
So active was his mind, that he en- 
tered upon every topic with an ani- 
mation which showed itself in the 
kindling lustre of his eye and chang- 
ing countenance ; in the ever- varying 
tones of his delightful voice; and 
in a forcible and natural emphasis. 
Every young person should cultivate 
the habit of giving his whole soul 
to the subject in hand. His manner 
may then be marked with faults, 
but not the fault of dulness. 

He was sometimes very grave, 
sometimes playful, often argumenta- 
tive. Few indeed of his age take 
more delight in argument. Fewer 
still can sustain themselves with his 
ability. But I never heard him try 



HIS MANNER IN CONVERSATION. 31 

to prove any thing that he did not 
believe true. Always, my dear 
young friend, in every question, take 
the side which in your opinion is 
right. Then you can truly say, 
when your sentiments are opposed, 
''I do not think so;'' and you can 
easily assign your reasons. 

Often has he gone hastily to the 
library to bring some book to prove 
his point, or to disprove another's 
assertion. So excellent was his 
memory, that he frequently delighted 
his friends by the facility with which 
he would turn to the very page where 
he had noticed some fact or opinion 
which he subsequently needed. The 
invaluable habit of close observation, 
among other advantages, supplies 
materials for conversation. 



32 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

He expressed his ideas in words 
well selected and grammatically ar- 
ranged. He was fluent. His lan- 
guage, in short, was in all respects 
such as would grace one of mature 
years and thorough education. This 
resulted partly from extensive read- 
ing, partly from unusually constant 
and familiar intercourse with older 
persons, especially his mother ; part- 
ly from translating other languages, 
and writing his own. For a long 
time he composed much for his mo- 
ther. He delighted to write for her. 
In gratifying her, he improved him- 
self Writing with care imparts 
correctness to conversation. 



REGARD FOR THE BIBLE. 33 



LETTEE V. 

HIS REGARD FOR THE BIBLE IN HIS 
CHILDHOOD. 

My dear James, — ^Tou have been 
informed of the intellectual excel- 
lencies of Thomas C. Paul. His re- 
ligious habits were not less remark- 
able. I will now give you an account 
of the exemplary manner in which 
he read and reverenced the Bible. 
In the present letter this account 
will be confined to his early child- 
hood. In the next, it will be carried 
on to the close of his life. 

The following extract is taken 
from a letter written to a friend by 
his bereaved mother. It shows how 



34 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

early a child may be taught that the 
Bible is a divine book, and how early 
his curiosity may be awakened to 
learn its contents, and how deeply 
he may feel the truth of all its decla- 
rations, 

''In answer to the inquiries con- 
tained in your letter respecting my 
lamented Thomas, I will state, that 
when he was very young, say be- 
tween two and three years old, he 
had a Hieroglyphic Bible, of which 
he was very fond. He took great 
interest in listening to its narra- 
tives of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, 
Moses, &c, 

''At this early age, or very soon 
after, he asked me many questions 
about the Bible, which astonished 
me, some of which I found a diflBi- 



KEGARD FOR THE BIBLE. 35 

culty in answering to my own satis- 
faction. 

''Before he was five years of age, 
he read the Scriptures himself, and 
manifested great reverence for their 
authority. Coming to me about this 
time, he said, ' My mother, I don'.t 
like to hear persons say. My father 
is rich; for the Bible says, It is 
easier for a camel to go through 
the eye of a needle, than for a 
rich man to enter the kingdom of 
God.' '' 

Are not these, my dear James, 
very delightful incidents ? May we 
not suppose that those early im- 
pressions, through the blessing of 
God, influenced him as long as he 
lived ? How desirable it is that the 
wheat should be sown and take root 



36 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

before the enemy lias time to cover 
the whole ground with tares ! 

Upon his infant mind the truth 
was stamped in characters never to 
be erased, never for a moment to be 
obscured, that God's holy word is to 
be ''a lamp to our feef He then 
felt, and always felt, that riches are 
trifles compared with the pearl of 
great price ; compared with the par- 
don of sin, and the favour of God. 

He began very early to quote 
Scripture as decisive authority. Two 
ministers being in his father's draw- 
ing-room, looking at some books, 
one of them remarked, ''Here is a 
book that I have desired to lay my 
hands on for a long time." This 
little child, playing on the floor, 
hastily said, with a look of amaze- 



EEGAKD FOR THE BIBLE. 37 

ment, ''What is thy neighbour's, 
thou shalt not covet.'' 

The astonished clergyman caught 
him up in his arms, exclaiming, ''My 
I)recious little fellow, I do not covet 
the book. I merely wish to read it." 

In another way he showed his es- 
timation of the Sacred Scriptures- 
His favourite present to a friend 
was a Bible or New Testament. He 
gave away many. Before he was 
four years old, being in the city of 
New York, he had received some 
kind attentions from a waiter in a 
hotel. He came to his mother and 
said that he would like to give that 
waiter a Bible. She indulged him. 
The grateful man gave him in re- 
turn a little book called, "The Way 
for a Child to be saved." 

4 



38 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

When he was eight years old, he 
for the first time came in possession 
of five dollars. Without consulting 
any one, he went to a book-store 
and laid out half of it to purchase 
his mother a Bible. What reverence 
for God, what filial afiection and 
noble generosity are. beautifully 
blended, like the colours of a rain- 
bow, in this single act! 




REGARD FOR THE BIBLE. 39 



LETTER VI. 

HIS REGARD FOR THE BIBLE IN HIS 
YOUTH. 

My DEAR James, — Thomas's mind 
expanded. He became very fond of 
general reading. But in his eyes 
the Bible surpassed all other books, 
as much as the sun outshines the 
stars. Through his whole life he 
read it with constancy and delight. 

No youth, perhaps, could with 
more propriety appeal to God, and 
say, ^'0 how I love thy law. It is 
my meditation all the day. How 
sweet are thy words unto my taste ; 
yea, sweeter than honey to my 
mouth.'' He was at first most in- 



40 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

terested in its historical parts and 
biographical sketches. He after- 
wards became fond of its parables 
and rich imagery ; its precepts, doc- 
trines and tender sentiments. 

His chamber was adjoining to the 
chamber of his parents. Again and 
again have they opened the inter- 
mediate door to remind him that it 
was time to close his book and re- 
tire. Sometimes he has said, in his 
peculiarly soft tone and engaging 
manner, ^^Just let me finish this 
chapter, if you please.'^ 

Here we see great reverence for 
the Sacred Scriptures, and a great 
desire to become acquainted with 
their precious truths. And yet, 
when we consider that they came 
from God, it seems surprising, that 



REGARD FOR THE BIBLE. 41 

more individuals of all ages do not 
read tliem with the same zeal and 
constancy. Truly it is very sinful 
to slight and neglect the Holy Bible. 

To him it could have been said, 
as Paul wrote to Timothy, '' From a 
child thou hast known the Holy 
Scriptures, which are able to make 
thee wise unto salvation, through 
faith, which is in Christ Jesus. '^ 
Now, dear James, will you not be 
stimulated by this bright example, to 
take the word of God as your con- 
stant companion. Eead it. Pray to 
God for grace to understand it and 
to love it. With the Bible in your 
hand, and the love of it in your heart, 
you will be happy ; happier far than 
any of your ungodly acquaintances. 

This important habit of reading 

4* 



42 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

the Scriptures frequently and ex- 
tensively, has the sanction of many 
weighty names among men distin- 
guished for accomplishing a vast 
amount of important work. I will 
name two. William Wilberforce, 
more distinguished than any English^ 
statesman for an harmonious union 
of greatness and piety, in the midst 
of his most pressing engagements, 
employed a young man to read the 
Scriptures to him at stated times, 
as he walked in the garden for ex- 
ercise. 

Dr. Herman Boerhaave, one of 
the most eminent of modern physi- 
cians, a German, whose fame for 
learning, talent and piety spread 
through all Europe, invariably spent 
an hour every morning in reading 



REGARD FOR THE BIBLE. 43 

the Bible and in Qther religious ex- 
ercises. We are told that he spoke 
of this hour of retirement as the 
best preparation for an arduous 
day's work. With such examples 
before you, I hope, my dear James, 
that you will be more stimulated 
than ever to read God's holy word. 
For years previous to his death, 
Thomas constantly carried a Testa- 
ment with him, at home and abroad, 
to read at his leisure moments. And 
yet so free was he from any thing like 
religious display, that few, if any, of 
his most intimate young associates 
knew the fact. In this praiseworthy 
course he may now be followed by 
the poorest youth, who is able to 
read, as so many cheap little Testa- 
ments are now published. 



44: THOMAS C. PAUL. 

This habit appears the more ad- 
mirable in Thomas, as he was of so 
lively and joyous a disposition. Of 
strong social feelings, fond of inno- 
cent sports in the open air, as light- 
hearted and merry as any one on 
the play-ground, he thus kept as a 
treasure in his bosom, a copy of 
those holy precepts, which he had 
firmly resolved, by the grace of God, 
ever to take as his only guide ; ever, 
as well in youth as in age, as well 
in health and joy as in sickness and 
sorrow, conscientiously to follow. 

Are not these incidents in the 
life of Thomas very striking, my 
young friend ? Yet there are many 
among his acquaintances, who can 
mention other similar facts. I re- 
gret that I have not room in this 



REGAKD FOR THE BIBLE, 45 

letter to narrate several which were 
to me exceedmgly interesting. One, 
however, I will not omit. 

The reading of the Scriptures af- 
forded him great comfort and joy 
during his long illness. He loved 
them more and more. They shed 
upon his path a soft and clear light 
which dissipated all gloom and fear. 
In five months immediately preced- 
ing his death, he read the Old Tes- 
tament nearly through, and the New 
Testament through twice. 




46 THOMAS C. PAUL, 



LETTER VII. 

HIS ATTENTION TO THE DUTY OF 
PRAYER. 

My dear James, — I will now pro- 
ceed to tell you how faithfully Tho- 
mas attended to the duty of prayer. 
He was, like yourself, taught, as 
every child should be taught, to 
pray in infancy, as soon as he could 
lisp the name of God. Religious 
parents who are neglectful of the 
pious training of their young chil- 
dren, will at a later period find in 
them, almost universally, a stubborn 
reluctance to devotional exercises. 

He at first repeated his little 
prayers after his mother. As soon 



ATTENTION TO PKAYER, 47 

as he was able to say them without 
prompting, he came regularly, kneel- 
ed down by her, and offered them uj) 
to God, through Jesus Christ, in a 
very solemn manner. It is not re- 
membered, that he ever hesitated, 
when called to the performance of 
this duty. 

And why should he have hesi- 
tated ? The habit had been formed 
before his recollection. It had never 
been interrupted. It was entwined 
in his memory with timely and de- 
lightful instruction, and with tender 
and soothing caresses. Many retain 
through life a most pleasing remem- 
brance of the soft and gentle manner 
in which their affectionate mothers 
taught and encouraged them to 
praise God, and to supplicate his 



48 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

protecting care and sustaining 
grace. 

We are told of kind watchful an- 
gels. It is said by the Psalmist, 
''The angel of the Lord encampeth 
round about them that fear him." 
Now what, among men, do you think 
most resembles this angelic guard- 
ianship ? Surely godly mothers, with 
their warm hearts, teaching, in the 
most engaging manner conceivable, 
their infant offspring to bless and 
revere the name of God. 

"When Thomas was about five 
years old, an aged minister on a 
visit to the family, unexpectedly to 
the child, opened the door of a room, 
and found him there alone on his 
knees engaged in prayer. How love- 
ly a sight was that to the eye of a 



ATTENTION TO PKAYEK. 49 

saint? Let every child be taught 
that there is a God, who seeth 
in secret, and who hears and re- 
wards prayer. 

The venerable man stopped in 
amazement. He told the mother 
what he had seen, and added in a 
tone of encouragement, '' If you will 
persevere in training this child so 
piously, you may hope, through the 
blessing of God, to see him a great 
and good man.'' 

Now observe carefully as you grow 
up, and see if you can find a single 
corrupt person, of whom it can be 
proved that he was early, kindly, 
and constantly, up to his very man- 
hood, trained in the ways of piety, 
and always kept from evil asso- 
ciates. I am very certain, my dear 



50 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

James, you will find no instance of 
the kind. 

When a son of very pious parents 
becomes profligate and abandoned, 
lie is universally noticed ; especially 
if he is the son of a minister. The 
case is spoken of everywhere. Aban- 
doned men are delighted. They 
slanderously affirm that it is nothing 
uncommon. Now read the expla- 
nation in a few words. 

This youth was probably well 
taught at home by his religious 
parents, but ruinously corrupted 
abroad by wicked companions. Or 
he may have been carefully watch- 
ed over in his earliest years, whilst 
under his father's roof; but lament^ 
ably neglected at a later period, 
and in some other situation. In 



ATTENTION TO PEAYER, 51 

either case the divine rule was vio- 
lated. The child was not trained 
up in the way he should go. 

One custom was constantly ob- 
served by Thomas up to his last 
illness. Some may regard it as a 
weakness in him to have retained it 
so long. Others may admire such 
devotion to his mother. Others still 
may see in it the power of long-che- 
rished habit. After having private- 
ly read the Scriptures at night in 
his own chamber, he went into his 
mother's room, kneeled down by her, 
as he had always done from infancy, 
and offered up his evening prayers. 
Then kissing her and bidding her 
''Good night,'' he withdrew^ and im- 
mediately sought repose. 

As he drew near his end, he felt a 



52 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

strong assurance that his prayers 
were heard. On one occasion he 
said, in great ecstasy, ''My mother, 
I believe in prayer. I believe in get- 
ting an answer to prayer.'^ He then 
gave a reason for this belief, from 
his own personal experience. 




ATTENTION TO FAMILY WORSHIP. 53 



LETTER VIII. 

HIS ATTENTION TO FAMILY WORSHIP AND 
OTHER RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES. 

My DEAR James, — Thomas took a 
deep and constant interest in family 
worship. In his father's absence 
he frequently read the chapter before 
prayer. Sometimes he w^ould make 
the selection himself, and select 
judiciously. This remark must of 
course be understood in reference to 
the few last years of his life. 

But at an earlier period many in- 
cidents of an unusual character in 
respect to worship, occurred. The 
following is an extract from a letter 
of one who witnessed the circum- 



54: THOMAS C. PAUL. 

stance narrated. It shows that he 
was in early childhood impressively 
solemn in devotional exercises. I am 
prepared to say, from frequent ob- 
servation, that this solemnity was 
eminently characteristic of him in 
his youth. 

"An aged gentleman, a neigh- 
bour, called one evening on the 
family, and remained to tea. He 
was not a professor of religion. Mr. 
Paul being absent, Thomas, not yet 
five years old, asked a blessing with 
such propriety of words and manner, 
that the old gentleman was affected 
even to tears, and said to me, ' Old 
as I am, I never saw the like,' or 
words to that effect." 

When he was about twelve years 
of age, his father at the time being 



ATTENTION TO FAMILY WORSHIP. 55 

from home, lie came one morning to 
the bed-side of his mother, who was 
sick, and said, ''My mother, I am 
sorry you are sick. If you wish me 
to stay from school to wait on you, 
I will do so.'' He then rang the 
bell, read a chapter in the Bible, 
and called on one of the religious 
servants to pray. On such occasions 
as have now been described, he al- 
ways appeared with the solemn air 
and bearing of manhood, so becom- 
ing the service of God. 

I wish to call your very particular 
attention to this solemnity of beha- 
viour w^hich he habitually manifest- 
ed during all religious observances. 
It contrasts, very strikingly, with the 
irreverent manner of many young 
persons. Surely at family w^orship. 



56 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

in the social meeting for prayer, 
and in the chnrcli, during divine 
service, no youth should dare to 
trifle, by smiling, whispering, com- 
municating by signs, or seeking his 
amusement in any other ungodly 
way. 

Thomas was thus devout in his 
appearance, doubtless, from cherish- 
ing a deep and sincere reverence 
for the all-seeing God. ''The Lord 
is in his holy temple. '^ Christ is 
in the midst of two or three ga- 
thered together in his name. This 
doctrine of God's peculiar presence 
with his worshipping people he 
cordially received. His deep inter- 
est in family and social prayer has 
reminded me of a passage in the 
life of the late Dr. Milne, a labor- 



ATTENTION TO FAMILY WORSHIP. 57 

ious and distinguished missionary 
in China. ''In his early years Dr. 
Milne attended a Sabbath evening 
school, which was taught in the 
neighbourhood of his residence. 
Here his knowledge of evangelical 
truth increased, and oftentimes 
impressions of its importance were 
made upon his mind. Sometimes 
he used to walk home from the 
school alone, about a mile, over the 
brow of a hill, praying all the way. 
At this time he began the worship 
of God in his mother's family, and 
also held some meetings for prayer, 
with his sisters and other children, 
in a barn that belonged to the 
premises.'' 

You are prepared to learn that 
Thomas did not, like some of our 



58 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

youtli, stand on the steps of the 
church, to stare at the assembling 
or retiring people ; that he did not 
purposely seek an obscure place 
that he might indulge in play ; that 
he was not in the habit of going out 
during the service. Indeed, his 
good-breeding, without this fixed 
religious principle, would have pre- 
served him from such improprieties. 
In the daily worship at the Insti- 
tute which he attended, he sat 
directly before the principal, who 
could not fail to notice how intently 
he watched for every religious ex- 
pression. 

It was a custom in the Sabbath- 
school, when he was a child, to dis- 
tribute tickets as a reward for good 
lessons and behaviour. These tick- 



ATTENTION TO FAMILY WORSHIP. 59 

ets, when they reached a certain num- 
ber, could be exchanged for a Bible, 
or for one or more Testaments. He 
was very studious and regular, and 
thus obtained several books, which 
he gave away to supply the destitute. 
Before he was thirteen years old 
he was solicited to become a teacher 
of a class of children in one of the 
Sabbath-schools. But he declined. 
He had already commenced giving 
religious instruction to the coloured 
people of his father's family. Sab- 
bath after Sabbath he read the 
Scriptures to them in his impressive 
manner, and kindly answered, to 
the best of his abilities, all their 
inquiries. 




60 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER IX. 

HIS INTEREST IN MISSIONARIES. 

My dear James, — Thomas was 
early taught the origin of mission- 
ary operations. He knew that all 
true religion was once confined to 
the small country called Palestine, 
embracing Judea and situated on 
the eastern side of the Mediterranean 
sea. He knew that our Saviour 
commissioned his disciples to go 
from that country ''into all the 
world and preach the gospel to 
every creature.'^ I think it very 
probable that he could have re- 
peated our Saviour^s very words as 



INTEREST IN MISSIONARIES. 61 

we have them in the last three 
verses of Matthew. 

He was likewise taught what 
missionaries had accomplished, by 
the blessing of God. He learned 
that by them the gospel had been 
carried to the Eomans, the French, 
the Germans, the English, and many 
other nations; and that by them 
our own forefathers, who were once 
heathen, worshipping idols, and 
sometimes sacrificing human beings, 
were converted to God. 

He was told that all the world 
would yet be brought to a know^- 
ledge of Christ. He was not igno- 
rant that God could convert all 
nations by miracles, by angels, and 
in many other ways. But he be- 
lieved that God chooses to do it in 
6 



62 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

the way our Saviour has pointed out, 
that is, by sending missionaries to 
preach the gospel everywhere. 

For these reasons he delighted 
to hear what the missionaries were 
doing. He would sit down by his 
mother, and listen to the latest 
accounts of their labours with as 
much pleasure as most children 
listen to tales. Many parents, dear 
James, think children far more 
deficient than they are. Children 
crave a knowledge of facts; not 
false stories. They love tales, only 
because they fancy them true, at 
least for the moment. But the 
Bible and other books which con- 
tain facts, are of far greater in- 
terest- 
Such was his anxiety to hear 



INTEREST IN MISSIONARIES. 63 

accounts of missionaiy operations 
when lie was very young. This 
anxiety never diminished. '^He 
was, for years/' his father remarks, 
^^not a listener, but a reader. He de- 
lighted to read the missionary no- 
tices, letters, &c.'' It was a pleasure 
to him, in the study of geography, to 
observe upon the maps the mission- 
ary stations. But I will return to 
his childhood, for it was then that 
he imbibed an extraordinary zeal 
for the missionary cause, and began 
to make extraordinary sacrifices in 
its behalf. 

He was informed that missiona- 
ries, in their great expenses of tra- 
velling, of printing Bibles and tracts, 
and of various other operations, were 
supported by Christians at home. 



64 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

He perceived that any one could 
take part in this great and good 
work. He was delighted with the 
idea. He went to a missionary 
meeting. He heard the prayers, 
the addresses, the hymns. When 
the contribution was taken up, he 
gave all the money he had, and 
w^ent home with a determination to 
give more at the next anniversary. 

He knew in what high terms our 
Eedeemer spoke of the poor widow 
w^ho cast into the treasury of the 
Lord all the money she possessed ; 
tw^o little mites. But, perhaps, he 
did not consider that God could 
guide a little piece of money, given 
by a child, till it should buy a book 
or tract ; and that God could guide 
that little book or tract till it should 



INTEREST IN MISSIONARIES. 65 

reach some heathen and bring him 
to repentance and faith in Jesns 
Christ ; and that God could qualify 
that heathen to become a minister 
of the gospel. What wonderful facts 
will be brought to light in eternity ! 

He procured a box, and called it 
his Missionary-box. All the little 
pieces of money he could get he 
dropped into it. Several of his 
friends gave him small sums for 
the same purpose. With what plea- 
sure did he empty it at the next 
missionary meeting! His interest 
in the cause increased year after 
year. The more we do for so good 
an object, the dearer it is to us. 

He received twenty-five cents a 
week to spend as he chose. He 
asked and obtained permission to 

6* 



66 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

abstain from some one of the luxu- 
ries of the table and to receive the 
value in money ; one half of which 
he laid aside for the missionaries. 
For several months together he de- 
nied himself butter, or tea and coffee, 
or some other article in which most 
persons indulge. One of his last 
yearly contributions for foreign mis- 
sions was twenty-five dollars ! How 
much can be done when the heart 
is enlisted. 




REGARD FOR MINISTERS. 67 



LETTER X. 

HIS REGARD FOR MINISTERS OF THE 
GOSPEL. 

My DEAR James, — Very few chil- 
dren have ever been more in the 
society of ministers, than Thomas 
C. Paul had been from his earliest 
infancy. They were frequently, 
and sometimes for several days to- 
gether, in his father's family. He 
regarded them with great reverence. 
But his long acquaintance with 
them made him entirely at his ease 
in their company. He delighted to 
converse with them, and he received 
from them many an expression of 
fondness and esteem. 



68 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

He watched for opportunities to 
show them obliging attentions. He 
would go to their rooms to see if 
the servants had provided every 
thing necessary for their comfort. 
He would bring them the choicest 
fruit he could find. He would search 
the library for such books as they 
desired to see. In short, he would 
do all in his power, with the most 
manifest pleasure and in the kind- 
est manner, to promote their enjoy- 
ment. 

Many ministers of the gospel are 
straitened in their circumstances 
for Christ's sake. They could ac- 
quire ample means, perhaps great 
wealth, if they would give them- 
selves up to worldly pursuits. But 
they renounce the world to serve 



REGARD FOR MINISTERS. 69 

the Lord and promote his glory, by 
securing their own salvation, by 
edifying Christians, by calling sin- 
ners to repentance, and by present- 
ing, to the eyes of all, attractive 
examples of purity, benevolence, 
and godliness. For such as give 
even a cup of cold water to his self- 
denying servants, in the name of 
Christ, there is a sure reward. This 
Thomas believed. 

To many of these visitors, upon 
leaving his father's house, he made 
little presents of books, handker- 
chiefs, or other useful articles. 
Placing a gold coin of five dollars 
in the hands of a venerable minis- 
ter, he said, ''Take this, if you 
please, to your little son.'' He ob- 
tained a new coat for another, to. 



70 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

whom he knew such an expression 
of regard would be both timely 
and acceptable. No wonder, dear 
James, that so many should lament 
the early death of one who uni- 
formly availed himself of all his 
resources in so many acts of judi- 
cious benevolence. 

When he was very young, he fol- 
lowed a minister to his chamber, 
and, with a child^s simplicity, said, 
*^Why, sir, have you not on your 
newer clothes?'^ His reply, in sub- 
stance, was, '' I am wearing my best, 
my little friend.'' He hastened to 
his mother with an air of great con- 
cern, and told her that their guest 
was very destitute of clothes. I 
know not whether she smiled most 
at his question, pardonable in a 



KEGARB FOR MINISTERS. 71 

small child, or at Ms description; 
''My mother, the clothes which he 
is wearing are thread-bare, and, 
would you believe it, they are his 
very besf ''How do you know?'^ 
"I asked him, and he told me so.'' 
Away he went with his burdened 
mind to his father, and entreated 
him to give the minister a suit of 
clothes. He was indulged. 

Returning with a light heart, he 
invited the clergyman to walk down 
town with him a few minutes* 
Without naming his object, he re-^ 
quested him to stop with him a 
little while at the shop of a tailor, 
who, being previously instructed 
what to do, surprised the reverend 
visitor by approaching him to take 
his measure. A little playfulness 



72 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

of this kind was always character- 
istic of Thorofas. But if he sought 
amusement by surprising his friends, 
it was always in a pleasant way. 
His w^as a ''wit that loved to play, 
not wound. '^ 

He obtained, when about twelve 
years of age, a costly umbrella, 
which he greatly prized. Soon 
after he observed that his pastor, 
having called at his father's on a 
rainy day, had one of inferior qua- 
lity. ''Let me give him mine,'' said 
he, in an under-tone to his mother. 
How bright was his expressive eye, 
and how happy was his generous 
heart, when, following this worthy 
minister to the door, he placed in 
his hand the handsome present. 

Our Saviour tells us, that "Who- 



REGARD FOR MINISTERS. 73 

soever liatli, to him shall be given, 
and he shall have more abundance.'' 
This was strikingly exemplified in 
his case. His remarkable virtues 
and kind manner induced these 
pious divines to take a lively in- 
terest in giving him instruction 
and advice, by which he was still 
more advanced in wisdom and ex- 
cellence. 

But nowhere did he exhibit more 
regard for ministers than in the 
house of God. He listened to their 
sermons with profound attention. 
Thus his heart, judgment and 
memory were all improved. Upon 
returning from church, he often 
created surprise, by repeating, with 
great accuracy, much of the dis- 
course. 

7 



74 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

His fondness for ministers and 
his attention to their sermons have 
reminded me of Edward YL, who 
became king of England in 1547, 
in his tenth year. Edward studied 
closely, and made great attainments 
in knowledge. But his favourite 
study was the Bible. He took the 
greatest pleasure in listening to 
sermons. 

Bishop Latimer, who was after- 
wards^ burned at the stake in Ox- 
ford, was the young king's favourite 
preacher. A pulpit was erected in 
one of the royal gardens, where 
Edward, surrounded by his court, 
loved to sit out of doors, and listen 
to his discourses, which were long 
and eloquent. Some of these sermons, 
with which Edward was so much 



REGAKD FOR MINISTERS. 



75 



delighted, were preserved. They 
are remarkable for zeal, fearless- 
ness and singularity. Like Tho- 
mas Paul, Edward died young, 
distinguished for piety, learning 
and gentleness of disposition. 




76 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER XL 

THOMAS AND HIS TEACHERS. 

My dear James, — I will now in- 
form you of Thomas's conduct to- 
wards his teachers. As you are in 
a course of education, I hope and 
believe that you will find this part 
of the narrative particularly profit- 
able, perhaps interesting. Possibly 
some good resolution may be con- 
firmed. Possibly some wrong opin- 
ion may be corrected. 

He was never known to be in- 
solent to a teacher. Some are 
insolent because they are urged on 
by mischievous companions. This 



THOMAS AND HIS TEACHERS, 77 

is insolence from a desire of pleasing 
others, and shows great weakness. 
Some are insolent to display their 
courage. This is insolence from a 
love of low distinction, and betrays 
an ill-directed ambition. In short, 
many are insolent, and otherwise 
perverse at school, and afterwards 
at college, not so much from a bad 
disposition as from a want of firm- 
ness, or from false views of what is 
honourable. It is better to be un- 
known than ill-known. 

It is not known that Thomas ever 
spoke ill of a teacher. He had little 
time and less disposition to look for 
faults in his conduct. If he heard 
of any, he hoped the report was a 
slander. If he saw any, he hoped 
the teacher meant welL At least, 

7* 



78 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

he did not try to mend matters by 
joining a group of fault-finders. 
Some are ever speaking ill of their 
teachers while at school, and of 
their neighbours the rest of their 
lives. Guard against a censorious 
spirit. 

JSTor is it remembered that he 
ever engaged in the active defence 
of a teacher. In some cases he 
would doubtless have done so. But 
he did not suppose the foolish 
remarks of discontented pupils 
needed any reply. No sensible 
teacher regards such remarks. No 
sensible teacher wishes a worthy 
pupil to make himself enemies on 
his account. Avoid all unnecessary 
strife, dear James. At school or 
college, to oppose a teacher is gene- 



THOMAS AND HIS TEACHERS. 79 

rally wrong and injurious ; to defend 
a teacher is generally unnecessary 
and imprudent. 

He always spoke of his teachers 
in terms of high respect. This was 
partly owing, perhaps, to the fact, 
that he had never heard them cen- 
sured or ridiculed at home. A child 
once said of his teacher, ''I know 
he is a fool, I have heard my father 
say so many a time.'^ If the child 
quoted truly, his father himself was 
far from being wise. Tour father 
honours your teachers by com- 
mitting you to their care. Ton 
honour your father by showing them 
every token of respect. 

He did not complain to his teach- 
ers of ill-usage from his companions. 
He had no occasion to do so, for 



80 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

through his kindness and prudence 
he was uniformly well used. Such 
a complaint, however, is sometimes 
necessary. But he would have suf- 
fered much, it is believed, before 
he would have resorted to it. If 
you cannot keep out of difficulties, 
settle them, if possible, in such 
a manner as not to make them 
public. This is a good rule for all 
future time. 

He went to his teachers with no 
information against his school-fel- 
lows. Indeed he rarely saw any 
misconduct, for he chose the most 
virtuous as his companions. But 
with his nice sense of propriety, he 
never could have been a voluntary 
informer, except in the case of some 
great crime. Never consent to con- 



THOMAS AND HIS TEACHERS. 81 

ceal a great crime- Never volun- 
teer to reveal ordinary offences. I 
can think of no better general rules. 
But by all means, my dear James, 
act conscientiously. If, in some 
extraordinary case, you see it is 
your duty to make disclosures, do 
it without ill-will, and do it fear- 
lessly. 

Thomas never for a moment ap- 
peared displeased with his teachers. 
He turned not hastily from them in 
anger. He never remained sullenly 
silent when questioned. No resent- 
ment lowered in his countenance. 
From such conduct he was as free 
in their presence, as he was free 
from all terms of reproach and ridi- 
cule in their absence. 

He delighted to confer favours on 



82 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

his teachers. He made them small 
presents. Sometimes he gave them 
fruit and other luxuries sufficient 
for themselves and for all his fellow 
students. Indeed, his disposition 
to oblige others was a very con- 
spicuous trait of his character. 

He aided his teachers by his ex- 
ample. By his respectful manner, 
by his friendly attentions, by his 
persevering industry, by his so- 
lemnity at the hour of worship, by 
cheerfully adopting all their plans, 
and by constantly avoiding all the 
faults which have been named, he 
exerted a happy influence over 
many minds. 

He was consequently highly es- 
teemed by his teachers. While he 
was yet in health, one of them re- 



THOMAS AND HIS TEACHERS. 83 

marked, ''I have never known a 
pupil so exemplary as Thomas 
Paul/' Six of his teachers were 
present and voted for the resolu- 
tions which were published after 
his death. I will send you a copy 
of them. No part of his character 
is brighter than his virtues as a 
pupil. 




84 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER XIL 

THOMAS WITH HIS FATHER. 

My dear James, — The father of 
Thomas, busily employed with his 
own extensive operations and with 
the affairs of the chnrch, very glad- 
ly and very confidently surrendered 
him, in a great degree, to the gui- 
dance of his devoted mother. But 
he was always ready to render any 
assistance with his counsel, and ha- 
bitually careful to make such obser- 
vations as tended to enlarge the 
understanding of a child, to improve 
his heart, and to give him correct 
views of his duty to God and man. 



Thomas with his father. 85 

This he did in so affectionate a 
manner, that his son took great 
pleasure in his company. 

Thomas often wished that he 
could be more with his father. But 
many of the best men in the world 
have but little time to spend with 
their families. As mothers fre- 
quently and naturally have so ex- 
clusive a control of the first and 
most important years of their chil- 
dren's lives, how exceedingly desira- 
ble is it, that they should be very 
judicious, intelligent, and pious ! 
Hence we derive a very strong argu- 
ment for their early Christian edu- 
cation. 

But he was with his father twice 
a day in most interesting circum- 
stances. I allude to morning and 



86 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

evening worship in the family. What 
a happy influence did it exert on his 
tender mind to see his father, what- 
ever might be his cares or pursuits, 
spending the beginning and close 
of every day in religious exercises ! 
How much of his best knowledge, 
how many of his best resolutions 
were derived from these occasions, 
and from the pious conversation 
which often immediately succeeded ! 
I hope, dear James, that you will 
never absent yourself from family 
worship. It is intimated in the 
Bible that the fury of the Lord will 
be poured out upon families that 
call not upon His name. How great 
then must be the sin of a child who, 
blessed with a pious father, is re- 
luctant to kneel by his side in the 



THOMAS WITH HIS FATHER. 87 

worship of God! It is not recol- 
lected that Thomas was ever ab- 
sent at time of prayer without good 
cause. I believe his duty was his 
pleasure. 

As a general thing, he had the 
most frequent and familiar conver- 
sations with his father at the table. 
If he differed from him in opinion, 
he was encouraged to say so. Then 
he assigned his reasons in a modest 
and childlike manner. I never heard 
that he was at all rude in argument, 
or that he refused to yield when he 
found that he was in the wrong. 
But as long as he thought he was 
in the right, he dearly loved to de- 
fend his opinion. 

Thomas appeared to have been 
greatly influenced in the formation 



88 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

of his habits by witnessing the me- 
thodical manner in which his father 
transacted business. All his lessons 
had their fixed hours. His love of 
order appeared in every thing. His 
desk, his books and other articles, 
were all in their appropriate places. 
I will here remark, my dear young 
friend, that industry without method 
is nothing but a busy idleness. A 
farmer sows industriously, but he 
sows out of season. He toils at re- 
pairing a fence, but not till a crop 
has been half destroyed. He spends 
hours in sunning sheaves ; in half 
the time he could have housed them 
before the rain. He fails, and talks 
of his misfortunes. His neighbour 
is no more industrious, but does 
every thing in time and order : he 



THOMAS WITH HIS FATHER. 89 

finds reason to bless God for Ms 
prosperity. 

As a father ordinarily spends but 
little time with his young children, 
he has it in his power, by overlook- 
ing their faults and by constant 
indulgences, to make them feel that 
he is kinder than their devoted and 
more w^atchful mother. This is 
very inconsiderate. Let the father 
take especial pains to honour the 
mother. Mr. PauPs course may be 
learned from the following incident. 
Thomas was once asked w^hich he 
loved the most, his father or mother, 
''My mother,'" said he, ''in obedi- 
ence to my father's wishes.'' 

Thomas loved his father tenderly. 
He once went to Boston to wait his 
arrival from Europe. When he first 

8* 



90 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

saw him on the deck of the ship, 
it is said, he leaped in ecstasy, ex- 
claiming, ''I see my father! It is 
my father !^' But this love was never 
more gratified than during his ex- 
treme illness. He had his father 
with him then, a great portion of the 
time. It was delightful to witness 
the relief he seemed to find in his 
affectionate attentions. 

The influence of a father's pious 
conversation is beautifully illus- 
trated in the case of Eichard Bax- 
ter, who was one of the greatest, 
best, and most fearless ministers of 
England in the seventeenth century, 
when many of the servants of God, 
and he among the number, were 
cruelly persecuted. His father di- 
rected his attention to the historical 



THOMAS WITH HIS FATHER. 91 

portions of the Bible. Young Eich- 
ard became deeply interested. This 
interest, by tlie grace of God, led 
to a desire to read the whole vo- 
lume. 

I do not know whether Baxter or 
Thomas Paul sufficiently appreciated 
these attentions of their fathers at 
the time they received them. But 
Baxter in his old age spoke very 
tenderly of his father, and indeed of 
both his parents. One day he was so 
filled with a sense of God's goodness 
in giving him pious parents, that 
he sat down and wrote some lines 
expressive of his thankfulness. I 
will copy two of them : 

^' Their early precepts so possessed my heart, 
That, taking root, they did not thence depart." 



m 

92 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

While Eichard Baxter attributes 
so mucli to the instrumentality of 
his pious parents, it is remarkable 
that Edward Gibbon, the infidel 
historian, who has written many 
severe and unjust things against 
Christianity, calls his aunt, Mrs- 
Porten, who had the care of him 
when he w^as young, and who had 
erroneous views of religion, ''the 
mother of his mind.'' She permitted 
him to read very improper books. 
I will give a short quotation from 
his own pen. I regard it as an ex- 
planation of the probable origin of 
his bitter infidelity. 

''My grandfather's flight unlock- 
ed the door of a tolerable library. 
Where a title attracted my eye, 
without fear or awe I snatched the 



THOMAS WITH HIS FATHER. 93 

volume from the slielf, and Mrs. 
Porten, who indulged herself in 
moral and religious speculations, 
was more prone to encourage than 
to check a curiosity above the 
strength of a boy. This year, the 
twelfth of my age, I shall note 
as the most propitious to the 
growth of my intellectual stature." 
Was not this year most unfortu- 
nate, both to himself and to all who 
have been misled by his writ- 
ings? 

But Thomas was blessed with 
parents who knew how easily the 
mind of a child might be poisoned 
with ruinous sentiments. Do not, 
my young friend, read any book 
which is generally condemned by 



94 



THOMAS C. PAUL. 



good men. The Divine command is, 
''Cease, my son, to hear the instruc- 
tions that causeth to err from the 
v> ords of knowledge.'' 




^v-?-^-^^^^ 



THOMAS AND HIS MOTHER. 95 



LETTER XIII. 

THOMAS AND HIS MOTHER. 

My dear James, — Dr. Doddridge, 
Sir William Jones, Dr. Timothy 
Dwight, and many other great and 
eminent men, have acknowledged 
that they were deeply indebted, 
(under God,) for their attainments, 
to the direction given to their 
tender minds, by their pious and 
attentive mothers. Like them, 
Thomas felt, young as he was, his 
indebtedness to maternal care ; and 
several times, when praised, made 
use of expressions like these: ''I 
merit little praise; I ought to be 



96 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

better than I am, in view of the 
pains which have been taken with 
me from my infancy." 

He was very young to utter such 
sentiments. Had he survived his 
mother, and lived to old age, he 
would, doubtless, have felt his in- 
debtedness to her attentions, even 
more sensibly. The great and good 
John Newton, who, like yourself, 
dear James, was an only son, and 
who was bereaved of his mother 
when he was seven years old, was 
trained during this short period, 
much in the same manner as Tho- 
mas Paul and yourself He has 
left the following record of his 
grateful feelings : 

"My mother was a pious, expe- 
rienced Christian. She made it the 



THOMAS AND HIS MOTHEE. 97 

chief business and pleasure of her 
life to instruct me, and bring me 
up in the nurture and admonition 
of the Lord. To her I owe that 
bent and bias to religion, which, 
with the co-operating grace of God, 
hath at length brought me back to 
those paths of peace, from which I 
might have otherwise been in dan- 
ger of deviating for ever.'' 

Mrs. Paul had been led, by some 
observations which she had made, 
to embrace the opinion, that sons 
of pious people are often injured 
in their morals, in consequence of 
being too little with their parents. 
She therefore determined to keep 
Thomas with her while young, pre- 
cisely as if he had been a daughter. 
She found no diflBculty in accom- 



98 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

plishing her purpose. I am confi- 
dent that no mother of an only 
son, pursuing her course, will have 
reason to say, ''I cannot keep my 
child at home. He distresses me 
with his rudeness. He is always 
bent on mischief.'' 

As it is believed that his mother 
had more to do with the formation 
of his character than all the world 
besides, I think you will be inte- 
rested in learning something of the 
course which she pursued with him. 
She aimed to make home pleasant 
to him. She procured for him a 
variety of interesting books and 
other amusing presents. She en- 
couraged him in all his innocent 
and proper sports. 

She was his companion. When 



THOMAS AND HIS MOTHER. 99 

he told her with a light heart of his 
success and enjoyment, she listened 
and smiled. When he urged her to 
see his operations, she looked and 
admired. In such happy moments 
she found no difficulty in directing 
his attention to the goodness of God 
in famishing us with so many 
means of enjoyment, notwithstand- 
ing our sinfulness. 

When he was disappointed, or 
sick, or distressed in any way, he 
usually went directly to her, and 
was soothed by those looks of 
sympathy, tender tones and kind 
remarks, which are so generally 
agreeable to the sad and suffering. 
Sometimes she allayed his grief by 
turning his attention to pleasing 
objects ; more frequently by remark- 



100 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

ing on the greater afflictions of 
others, especially of our Saviour, or 
of some distinguished saint; or by 
bringing up to his remembrance 
some consoling text of Scripture. 

On the other hand, when he saw 
his mother troubled, he uniformly 
attempted to comfort her. Several 
occurrences, as pleasing as the fol- 
lowing, took place. One morning 
when she was ill, he went to her 
bed and said, ''My mother, I had 
better stay from school to-day, to 
keep you company.'^ Now he dis- 
liked exceedingly to fall behind his 
class. She told him it was not 
necessary. So he went to school. 
During the recess, he left his com- 
panions and hastened home to spend 
a few moments with her. As soon 



THOMAS AND HIS MOTHER. 101 

as he found time, he purchased 
some nice fruit and brought it to 
her. 

His mother read much to him 
when he was very young, and con- 
versed upon what she read. She 
formed his taste first for the his- 
torical parts of the Bible. In listen- 
ing to her he never seemed weary. 
He asked many questions, showing 
his interest in the subject, and his 
sagacity. 

When he had learned to read 
with ease, he read for her. Still the 
questions were put, and the answers 
and reflections and suggestions were 
made. When he had learned to 
write, he took great delight in an- 
swering a note for her as she would 
dictate. At length, when she gave 



102 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

him the principal ideas which she 
wished to communicate, he wrote 
them out in his own style and lan- 
guage. These exercises, early com- 
menced and long continued, will, in 
part, account for his great profi- 
ciency. 

In his last years he did much 
towards repaying her for these early 
attentions. With a most agreeable 
manner he performed a thousand 
little kind offices for her, sometimes 
asking the privilege, and often be- 
fore a word was said. When he 
could do no more, he begged his 
mother not to grieve immoderately 
over his early death. What admira- 
ble considerateness in one so young. 
She once remarked, ''He was, in 
his last illness, my comforter, '' 



THOMAS AND HIS MOTHER. 103 

I will send you an extract from 
a letter written by his father. In 
it you will see Thomas at home. 
This beautiful picture corresponds 
with all that I saw or heard of his 
conduct. What carefulness to give 
no offence to his mother! What 
cheerful submission to her will! 
What gratitude for her unwearied 
pains in training him ! 

''Tou ask me to make you ac- 
quainted with the faults of character 
to which Thomas was constitution- 
ally inclined, and by what means 
these were corrected. Mrs. Paul 
and I have been thinking over this 
inquiry, and have tasked our memo- 
ries to recall what faults he had, 
and we find it difficult to remember 
any thing which could be truly de- 



104 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

nominated a fault, for if he at any 
time did any thing which his mother 
did not approve, she had only to 
speak once, never twice, in an affec- 
tionate manner, and the act was 
not repeated. 

'^If at any time he asked per- 
mission to do any thing which she 
thought proper to refuse, it was 
always submitted to at once, he 
saying, 'Well, my mother, if you 
do not wish me to do so, I will not 
ask it,^ or words to that effect. Fre- 
quently injudicious friends would 
praise him, he being present, for his 
goodness, attainments, and the like ; 
when he would say, ' I don^t deserve 
any credit for what I am. My 
mother always reasoned with me, 
and treated me as a companion, not 



THOMAS AND HIS MOTHEK. 105 

as children are often treated by 
their parents, in a harsh, forbidding 
manner.' '' 

This grateful acknowledgment of 
his indebtedness to his mother's in- 
structions, reminds me of a letter 
which Lord Eldon, a Chancellor of 
England, wrote to his mother. As 
soon as he was made a peer by the 
king, and his name was changed 
from Sir John Scott to Lord Eldon, 
he hastened to inform his aged pa- 
rent, that she might rejoice with 
him. I will give you a brief extract 
from the letter. It adds additional 
lustre to his fame. 

''My dear mother: — I cannot act 
under any other feeling than that 
you should be the first to whom 
I write after changing my name. I 



106 



THOMAS C. PAUL. 



feel that, under the blessing of 
Providence, I owe tliis, (I hope, I 
may say, I owe this,) to a life spent 
in conformity with those principles 
of virtue which the kindness of 
my father and mother early incul- 
cated.'' 




REGARD FOR THE POOR. 107 



LETTER XIV. 

HIS REGARD FOR THE POOR. 

My dear James, — Thomas had 
early learned the important lesson, 
which cannot be taught us too soon, 
that we are to esteem and honour 
persons according to their real ex- 
cellencies, and not according to their 
outward circumstances. The value 
of gold lies in its purity and weight, 
and not in its outside brilliancy 
and wide-spread surface. Especially 
had he been carefully trained, from 
his very infancy, to cherish in his 
bosom a tender regard for the des- 
titute and afflicted- 



108 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

He was taken to the humble cot- 
tages of the suffering poor, in visits 
of charity. He was thus impress- 
ively taught the lofty principle of 
Christian sympathy. He beheld the 
relief that kindness imparted. He 
saw the clouds of gloom pass away, 
and the eye of grief once more beam 
brightly with joy. He heard the 
thanks which relieved and grateful 
hearts, in tones of tenderness, sin- 
cerely expressed. 

In his own breast, thrilling with 
happiness in view of scenes so 
affecting, he felt the blessedness of 
giving, — the elevated pleasure of 
doing good. As soon as he was old 
enough to go alone on an errand of 
sympathy, he was often sent by his 
mother, and sometimes went of his 



REGARD FOR THE POOR. 109 

own accord, to call upon the needy 
and suffering, and to make inquiries 
respecting their welfare and wants. 
The poor have remarked, with 
thankfulness and admiration, upon 
the great delicacy of feeling, and 
true politeness of manner, with 
which he approached them in their 
sickness and destitution. 

He would then return home to 
procure the articles desirable for 
their comfort. In several instances 
he purchased them with his own 
money, which he had saved by de- 
nying himself little indulgences. 
How often would youth, whose 
parents are in good circumstances, 
or decidedly wealthy, meet with aid 
and encouragement if they would 
generously pursue a similar course. 

10 



110 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

I have no doubt, my dear James, 
that you yourself are kind to the 
poor. You have relieved their suf- 
ferings. By affording happiness to 
others, your own happiness has been 
increased. But the matter did not 
end there. The remembrance of it 
is pleasant. In addition to this, 
there is a reward. ''He that giveth 
to the poor lendetji to the Lord.'' 

When Thomas had not money 
sufficient to supply the wants of 
some needy person, he has been 
known to effect the object by pro- 
posing to some friend to unite with 
him, saying, ''I will bear half of 
the expense.'' Many a friend of 
humanity, by his example and per- 
suasions, accomplishes more than 
by his own limited resources. His 



EEGARD FOR THE POOR, 111 

influence is as a '4ittle leaven, that 
leaveneth the whole lump/' He 
takes the lead himself, and as he 
waves a beckoning hand, others 
gladly follow. 

One thing is worthy of notice. 
Thomas was very choice in selecting 
his intimate friends. But he seemed 
to look for real merit alone, for a 
virtuous life, a kind disposition, 
and a cultivated intellect. Several 
of his choicest and most beloved 
associates were of embarrassed fami- 
lies. One of them, I remember, 
was a poor but excellent orphan. 

It often happens that a poor child 
is greatly imposed on by thoughtless 
lads, both at school and elsewhere. 
His sufferings from fear and ridicule 
are very great; greater, no doubt, 



112 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

than those who tease and distress 
him imagine. The only time, it is 
believed, that Thomas was known 
to be in danger of a violent quarrel, 
was upon his stepping forward to 
protect a friendless boy. 

I have now, dear James, described 
the general principles which govern- 
ed him in his conduct towards the 
poor. In my next letter I will men- 
tion a few particular incidents which 
greatly interested my mind. Per- 
haps this may have been partly 
owing to a vivid recollection of the 
engaging manner and tenderness of 
expression with which he habitually 
conferred his obliging favours. 



KINDNESS TO THE POOK. 113 



LETTER XV. 

PARTICULAR ACTS OF KINDNESS TO THE 
POOR. 

My dear James, — Thomas heard 
of the severe illness of a very poor 
man, who lived about a mile from 
his father's residence. He \^ent to 
see him. He selected appropriate 
hymns, and read them. He then 
bought some rice for him, with his 
own pocket money. 

The poor man's sunken eye beam- 
ed with gratitude and admiration. 
He was heard to say, ''Surely he is 
a little angel.'' Now who can sup- 
pose that any course of worldly 
pleasure can possibly afford so pure, 

10* 



114 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

SO exalted an enjoyment, as he 
realized from the frequent exercise 
of such benevolent feelings ? 

Several facts like the following 
are remembered by his friends. He 
proposed to some one to unite with 
him in purchasing a cheap calico 
dress for a worthy poor woman. He 
accomplished his object. She ex- 
pressed her thanks in the tones and 
terms of a delighted heart. But 
probably, ''as it is more blessed to 
give than to receive,'' he was, of the 
two, by far the happier. 

On his way to Baltimore, on one 
occasion, he became deeply inter- 
ested in a poor sailor, who, with all 
a seaman's characteristic kindness 
to youthful passengers, had shown 
him pleasing attentions. He pro- 



KINDNESS TO THE POOR. 115 

cured for him a Bible, his favourite 
present. To his bitter disappoint- 
ment, the sailor, owing to some 
circumstances, never received it. 
On one of its blank leaves I find 
these lines written : 

^^ 0^teden'tea '^u U nomad woone 0^au/j 
^ ncd daiwi^jfttena J /i^uiani rjtyience^j 
7(/(^n ^ne dtnceze zeaaed^j inai cU ai^o tet^ 
date 7n(mie7Udj in wna^evez cimie ne Tuau 
ve^ ne wM devote ine^z /o ^ne diadu o4 
^ne ^ztUnd conta{r7ied neiet?i. ^y^nd ^ai 
ne 'Tizau <^^^J^ <^ "^^^ zeti/a/id^ itz ^tme ancC 
e^zntduj Id ^ne ^tanez oj^ ntd yot{/tn4K/o 
jmena/ 

To a poor person who is not 
actually suffering, the present of a 



116 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

religious book may do more service 
than any other gift- It has often 
resulted in a change of life, and a 
preparation for eternity. Perhaps, 
my dear James, in the providence 
of God, this Bible did not reach its 
destination in order that^ the above 
lines might influence you and other 
youth to act a similar part in the 
same spirit. 

On a cold day, two years before 
his death, a poor boy, thinly clad, 
came on some errand to see his 
mother. Thomas requested per- 
mission to give him his overcoat, 
which was but little worn. ''Let 
me give it to him, if you please,'^ 
said he, ''and I will buy a cheap 
one for myself.'' She assented. He 
then bought for himself one of an 



KINDNESS TO THE POOR. 117 

inferior quality, and for half the 
price. 

Three winters after, the boy being 
seen thinly clad again, was asked 
if he had worn out that coat ; ''0 
no,'' said he, ''I keep it to wear to 
Sunday-school. ' ' What youth, whose 
wants have always been supplied, 
can realize the comfort which has 
been derived from that gift ? Who 
can compute the possible influence 
of that Sabbath-school on his young 
and susceptible mind ? 

How delightful would it be if all 
our youths who have good homes 
and kind parents would feel thus 
for destitute orphan children ! How 
much suffering would be relieved! 
How many drooping hearts would 



118 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

be cheered! What lasting benefits 
would be conferred ! 

During his last sickness, he re- 
quested his mother to buy a pair of 
shoes for a poor woman on whom he 
had previously bestowed acts of 
kindness. When she came to see 
him, he surprised her by saying, 
''Here is a pair of shoes for you. I 
hope they will not let you suffer 
when I am gone. Trust in the 
Lord. He will take care of you.'' 




INTERCOURSE WITH THE YOUNG. 119 



LETTER XVI. 

HIS INTERCOURSE WITH THE YOUNG. 

My DEAR James, — Thomas was 
eompanionable. Never neglectful 
of his studies, he was ready, at all 
proper hours, to engage in innocent 
amusements. Then his laugh was 
joyous and free. He would strive 
for victory with emulous perseve- 
rance, bear a defeat with becoming 
grace, and enjoy success without 
boisterous and disagreeable exulta- 
tion. 

This shining point in his charac- 
ter, this uniform calmness when 
excelled or excelling, is, my dear 



120 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

James, particularly worthy of no- 
tice. To be much disturbed by dis- 
appointment, and to be too much 
elated by success, are two very com- 
mon failings. These great defects 
in character usually go together. 
Let me entreat you to strive, while 
you are young, to form the habit of 
composure in all circumstances. 

His manner was gentle, affection- 
ate, and decidedly engaging. Ee- 
spectful to his seniors, social with 
his equals, and uniformly kind to 
every human being with whom he 
had intercourse, he made it appa- 
rent that his politeness, free from 
affectation and selfish aims, was 
firmly based on the substantial ex- 
cellencies of a good and feeling 
heart. His whole intercourse was 



INTERCOURSE WITH THE YOUNG. 121 

marked with three important prin- 
ciples which every youth should 
cultivate, — affection, sincerity, and 
constancy. From these pure foun- 
tains, his delightful attentions flowed 
in clear and refreshing streams. 

In childhood he had been judi- 
ciously kept from mingling promis- 
cuously with vicious children in 
the streets. As he had not been 
accustomed to this ill-timed indul- 
gence, he did not regard the re- 
straint as disagreeable. The diffi- 
culty which many parents in our 
cities and towns experience in con- 
trolling their children, has its ori- 
gin, generally, in early liberties in- 
considerately granted. 

The good effects of a proper re- 
straint will appear from the follow- 
11 



122 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

ing incident. In his eleventh or 
twelfth year he requested permis- 
sion to play in the streets with 
certain companions. He returned 
home at the appointed time. On 
another day he easily obtained a 
similar favour, but came back in a 
few minutes, and upon being asked 
the reason, said, ''I cannot play in 
the streets without associating with 
boys who use profane and vulgar 
language. They will join in our 
sports. So I have made up my 
mind to stay at home.'^ Month 
after month he kept his determina- 
tion. He had a remarkably quiet, 
silent, unoffending way of with- 
drawing from improper company. 

On one occasion, in Norfolk, he 
was invited to a party of young 



INTERCOURSE WITH THE YOUNG, 123 

persons. JSTo one enjoyed it for a 
while more than himself. At length 
the amusement took a tm^n which 
did not meet his approbation. He ex- 
pressed no dissent, but, unobserved, 
withdrew. When missed, he was 
sent for, and entreated to return, 
with an assurance that he should 
not again have any reason to com- 
plain. He went back and spent 
the evening to his entire satisfac- 
tion. 

Here it must be observed that he 
never showed an aversion to any 
associates merely because their pa- 
rents were poor. On the contrary, 
some of his most valued friends 
were of this class. He doubtless 
considered that in this w^orld of 
changes, he himself might yet be 



124 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

in want. He certainly knew that 
many of the best and most dis- 
tinguished men had sprung from 
poor parents. But the vicious, 
whether rich or poor, he carefully 
shunned. No advantage of wealth 
or birth could make the profane, 
vulgar, or deceitful, in his estima- 
tion, respectable. Let this senti- 
ment be early embraced. It is 
lamentable to see so many of the 
most favoured youth end their lives, 
shortened by vice, in disgrace and 
wretchedness. 

Many who are not guilty of gross- 
ly vulgar language, still make use of 
coarse expressions, which, through a 
great mistake, they regard as witty. 
This makes them appear very ridi- 
culous in the eyes of all judicious 



INTERCOURSE WITH THE YOUNG. 125 

persons. Prom this fault no one 
was more free than Thomas. Among 
his companions he always expressed 
his ideas in as plain, good English 
as he would have used in the pres- 
ence of his parents. 

''He that hath friends/' as well as 
he that would have friends, ''must 
show himself friendly.'' He was 
friendly and had friends. Day after 
day, for some time during his long 
illness, some one of his fellow-stu- 
dents went to his father's house to 
inquire after the state of his health, 
and then hastened back with the 
news. According to the nature of 
this information, which was commu- 
nicated at the hour of worship, 
more than a hundred countenances 

were brightened with joy, or over- 
11* 



126 



THOMAS C. PAUL. 



cast with gloom. When his death 
was at length announced, several 
were seen to weep. Every tear 
flowed from some tender recollec- 
tion of his past life, so marked with 
consistency and kindness. 




THOMAS AND THE SERVANTS. 127 



LETTER XVII. 

THOMAS AND THE SERVANTS. 

My dear James, — Many children, 
neglected by their parents, hear 
from servants frightful tales of 
ghosts, and of other terrific things, 
which do not exist. They are often 
made timid by these foolish stories 
whilst they are young. They some- 
times continue to suffer from them 
for many years. Thomas's mother 
requested the servants never to tell 
him any horrible tales. She gave 
him the more exquisite pleasure of 
hearing true and profitable narra- 
tions from the Bible. Truth, to a 



128 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

sound mind, is more delightful than 
fiction. 

Had he been much with the ser- 
vants, he would have conversed in 
their style. Children always con- 
verse like their constant associates. 
If they hear from infancy pure and 
grammatical language, their lan- 
guage wdll be likewise pure and 
grammatical. If at any time he 
had caught an improper word or 
expression from the servants, his 
parents corrected his speech imme- 
diately. By being thus trained, he 
was kept from a worse fault than 
rude, ungrammatical language; he 
was kept from loving low, vulgar 
expressions. 

But there is a third and much 
greater evil w^hich many children, 



THOMAS AND THE SERVANTS. 129 

through the neglect of their parents, 
suffer from the servants. This 
evil is the injury of their morals. 
They sometimes learn from them to 
be deceitful, cruel, profane, and 
otherwise vicious. Whilst in many 
a kitchen, some children of wealthy 
parents were taught by servants 
their first steps in the way to ruin, 
Thomas was receiving from his 
parents the best of instruction. 
Can you, my dear James, be sufl&- 
ciently thankful that you have been 
trained in a similar manner ? 

I must not hold out the idea 
that all servants would corrupt 
children. Many of them are very 
moral, and some very pious. Let 
such be esteemed, as they should be 
esteemed, very highly. Do you re- 



130 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

member to have read the beautiful 
tract, ''Henry and his Bearer?^' 
That bearer was a pious servant. 
I know that Thomas, with his cor- 
rect views of religion, would rather 
have been that servant, than to 
have been a wicked king. But as 
one vicious servant may ruin a 
child, his parents took the wisest 
course by keeping him so much 
with themselves. 

When you see the means which 
were used by his parents, and 
blessed of God in the formation of 
his character, your reason is exer- 
cised, and your judgment improved. 
Doubtless he never would have 
been what he was, if he had not been 
kept, when young, from evil and 
from thoughtless servants, as well 



THOMAS AND THE SERVANTS, 131 

as from ill-bred and vicious chil- 
dren. I will now write you an 
account of his intercourse with 
them at a later period- 
He was trained never to speak to 
servants in a haughty, command- 
ing tone. This manner is most 
disgusting in a young person, no 
matter how wealthy or great his 
father may be. It may arise from 
a want of sense, or from a proud 
heart, or from a tyrannical disposi- 
tion, or from the whole combined. 
In his intercourse with them, Tho- 
mas made his requests mildly, and 
was attended to cheerfully. 

He made no complaints of the 
servants. At least it was not his 
habit to complain. If he ever did, 
their faults must have been very 



132 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

great. Once he was sitting out 
upon the seat of the carriage driver, 
who, being intoxicated, drove ra- 
pidly within a few inches of a 
curbstone. Had the wheel struck 
it, the accident might have been 
serious. He made no complaint to 
his parents upon reaching home. 
But he begged the servant (and if 
my memory is correct, induced him) 
to join the teniperance society. 

He was regardful of the happi- 
ness of servants. He certainly was 
so, if we consider his age. Most 
young people do not sufficiently 
bear in mind that servants may be 
weary, or weak, or sick. Queen 
Charlotte, of England, asked one of 
her daughters to read aloud to her. 
Every time she paused, the Queen 



THOMAS AND THE SERVANTS. 133 

said, '-Read on, if you please.'^ At 
length, exhausted, she burst into 
tears. ''This was intentional, my 
daughter," said the Queen, ''to 
teach you to have more feeling for 
your maids, and not to exact too 
much of them." 

His kindness to servants was 
very remarkable. He made them 
many presents. When they were 
sick he would visit them, and make 
friendly inquiries. Sabbath after 
Sabbath he read the Scriptures to 
them. He had a pleasant manner 
in reading. They were glad to hear 
him. In his last illness they did 
all they could do for him. They 
expressed great concern. When all 
hope was gone, they wept as if he 
had been a relative. 

12 



134 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

His efforts to be useful at home 
were like the youthful efforts of the 
celebrated Dr. Cotton Mather, who 
was born in Boston in 1663. " He 
commenced/' says his biographer, 
''a life of the most active benefi- 
cence when very young ; and at the 
age of sixteen adopted as a maxim, 
that a power and an opportunity to 
do good, not only gives the right of 
doing it, but makes it a positive 
duty. 

''On this maxim he determined 
to act, and continued to do so 
during the remainder of his days. 
Accordingly he began in his father's 
family, by doing all the good in his 
power to his brothers and sisters, 
and to the servants.'' I hope, my 
dear James, that you will always, in 



THOMAS AND THE SERVANTS. 135 

like manner, aim to promote the 
happiness and piety of all aromid 
you, including the domestics. 




136 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER XVIII. 

THOMAS AT SCHOOL. 

My deae James, — Thomas went to 
school cheerfully. He knew that 
education was necessary. What 
must be done ought to be done 
with a good grace. Bear this in 
mind, dear James. If you live 
long, you will be called upon to do 
ten thousand things against your 
inclination. He that does his duty 
reluctantly, is unhappy at the time. 
He that neglects his duty w^hoUy, is 
unhappy afterwards. He that does 
his duty promptly, is happy in the 
performance and happy in the result- 
Thomas w^ent to school regularly. 



THOMAS AT SCHOOL. 137 

This was owing partly to the habits 
of order to which he had been 
trained ; partly to a desire of keeping 
up with his class ; and partly, per- 
haps, to a conviction that knowledge 
is a rich reward for perseverance. 
I never knew a pupil who often 
stayed from school without cause, 
to love his books, or to make good 
progress. It is strange that so 
many parents never reflect that a 
day's absence throws a child out of 
his course, and thus makes the path 
of knowledge more steep and dis- 
agreeable. I am happy to know 
that you love your school. If you 
did not, I would say, go daily, and 
go manfully, and you will love it. 
Habit brings contentment to the 
young. 

12* 



138 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

At school he had no quarrels. 
This resulted from his unwillingness 
either to give offence, or to take 
offence. This is a happy disposi- 
tion. Cultivate it by all means. 
You will then rarely be molested 
even by the most envious and trou- 
blesome. Be kind to all, and keep 
out of the way of harm. Ton will 
then have, as Thomas had, so many 
friends, that the quarrelsome will let 
you alone. I will give you another 
important rule. Carefully observe 
the conduct of those persons who 
constantly live in peace with all 
around them. 

At school he jDlayed no tricks 
He always, from a child, regarded 
that species of amusement as con- 
temptible. At a proper time, he 



THOMAS AT SCHOOL. 139 

loved open, vigorous play, exceed- 
ingly. But lie despised a sly action, 
especially an action that would give 
another pain. He could not seek 
his pleasure in another's distress. 
Much less would he join in a crowd 
to tease and torment the helpless. 

At school he practised no manner 
of deceit. He had no improper 
object to require it. He had done 
nothing amiss to conceal. He never 
pretended to know a lesson which 
he had not learned. He had an 
utter abhorrence of all falsehood, 
and of every other species of deceit, 
even for the purpose of amusement 
His teachers will all testify that they 
never knew him in any way to 
encourage others to indulge in this 
propensity. When you see one 



140 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

trifle with truth for sport, you have 
reason to suspect that he may yet 
trifle with truth in earnest. 

Thomas made no complaint 
against his school. He once said 
to his mother, when he was very 
young, "I would like my school 
better, if it were less disorderly.'^ 
But in his latter years he appeared 
warmly attached to every one of 
his schools. If he saw faults, he 
made allowance for them ; at least 
he passed them by in silence. Some, 
if you take their word for it, are 
always sent to miserable schools. 
The rules are too strict or too lax ; 
the lessons too few or too many. I 
fear every thing will be wrong with 
them as long as they live. Ask 
yourself, ''Is this my disposition?'' 



THOMAS AT SCHOOL. 141 

He obeyed the rules of his school. 
He did not trouble himself to in- 
quire whether the regulations were 
the best that could be adopted. He 
simply asked, ''What are they?'' So 
conscientiously did he observe them, 
that, it is believed, he was never 
reproved, much less punished. One 
of his teachers once said, ''I could 
superintend five hundred pupils, if 
they were all as considerate and as 
obedient and as apt as Thomas 
Paul.'' With this dignity of cha- 
racter, contrast the waywardness of 
many. How^ frivolous does their 
conduct appear! 

He went to school to learn. He 
made it an invariable rule to ac- 
quire a thorough knowledge of 
all his lessons. JSTo amusement, 



142 THOMAS C, PAUL. 

however tempting, no companion, 
however much beloved, no interest- 
ing news, no fascinating book could 
draw him from an assigned task, 
till he had thoroughly mastered it. 
Such perseverance is talent, and the 
most uniformly profitable talent. 
Quickness of apprehension, a re- 
markable memory, a lively imagina- 
tion, may be called more brilliant, 
but they are frequently united to a 
fickleness of disposition destructive 
of all success. 

He distinguished himself at 
school. He was uniformly among 
the very first in his class in all the 
ordinary English branches; in the 
Mathematics, in the Latin, Greek, 
and French. He appeared to make 
the same rapid progress in all his 



i 



THOMAS AT SCHOOL. 



143 



studies, because he took them all 
up with the same unyielding deter- 
mination. He excelled more par- 
ticularly in debate and declamation. 
But his noblest distinction was to 
be found in his high moral excel- 
lencies. 




144 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER XIX. 

HIS NEATNESS. 

My dear James, — ''Cleanliness is 
next to godliness.'' This is a re- 
mark, or a quotation of the great 
and good John Wesley, who care- 
fully weighed his words. Now great 
as this excellence is, and neat as 
Thomas was, I hesitated awhile be- 
fore I decided to write the following 
particulars. At last I concluded 
that it might possibly confirm you 
in your present good habits, or at 
least amuse you, to be made more 
minutely acquainted with one who 
was brought up some hundred miles 
distant- 



HIS NEATNESS. 145 

He made a very free and very 
frequent use of water, in washing. 
Formerly it was said, (perhaps not 
without cause,) that, in this respect, 
we, as a nation, fell behind some of 
the European nations. This obser- 
vation was never true of a large 
portion of our families. But lat- 
terly the bath, I am happy to be- 
lieve, is more universally resorted 
to by people of every condition 
in life. Frequent application of 
water is beneficial to health, and 
absolutely indispensable to all per- 
sonal neatness. 

He was not neglectful of his 
hands. There is a Latin proverb, 
'^ He is a gentleman to the very nail,'^ 
meaning that his nails showed no 
want of attention. Persons engaged 

13 



146 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

in some kinds of manual labour can- 
not, of course, always preserve so 
neat an appearance of their hands. 
But all people of any sense will 
make due allowance for these cases. 

Thomas was attentive to his 
hair. All who knew him well, can- 
not fail to remember that it was ha- 
bitually well brushed, nicely part- 
ed, smooth and glossy. The hair is 
greatly preserved and improved by 
attention. Does not this seem to in- 
dicate, that it was our Creator's de- 
sign that it should not be neglected ? 
But he never wore his hair in any 
unusual or fantastic manner. That 
would have shown great weak- 
ness. 

He was very careftd of his teeth. 
Apart from personal comfort and 



HIS NEATNESS. 147 

appearance, the frequent use of the 
tooth-brush preserves the teeth from 
decay, and the gums in a healthful 
state. The whiteness of his teeth 
indicated this habit. Many who 
have neglected their teeth in early 
life have deeply regretted it when 
regrets were unavailing. If this 
hint, my dear James, should make 
you more careful of yours, I am 
sure you will be thankful for it, in 
future years, should it please God 
to prolong your life. 

His dress was always neat. I 
saw him daily for a long period, and 
I never saw him when he did not 
appear well enough to be seen in a 
public assembly. His collar was 
unsoiled. His clothes were all in 
good condition and well adjusted. 



148 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

But he never seemed to pride him- 
self upon such things. A sloven 
thinks nothing of dress. A fop 
thinks every thing of dress. But he 
was neither a sloven nor a fop. 

His writing was neat. It was 
likewise plain. His copy-book, let- 
ters and essays, were free from 
blots, and for the most part free 
from mistakes, which required era- 
sures and interlining. This habit 
of writing neatly, without mistakes, 
requires in early life a great deal 
of close attention. Plainness in 
writing is desirable, that our cor- 
respondents may not be perplexed ; 
and neatness that they may not be 
disgusted. 

He was neat in the use of books. 
He left no prints of fingers on them, 



HIS NEATNESS. 149 

for reasons already explained. He 
never laid tliem down in improper 
places. He had not the bad habit 
of turning down a leaf to keep the 
place. He had not the worse habit 
of turning an open book over on a 
table to keep the place. Be par- 
ticularly careful, dear James, of 
your own, but especially of your 
friend^ s book, for you know not how 
much he may prize it. 

Perhaps, in order to describe him 
as he was, it may not be amiss to 
tell you that he did not violate the 
three following rules of ''the boy of 
few words.'' This boy was the son 
of a good man in the mountains, 
who wrote rules for children. One 
day the boy tried his hand and said, 

^' Father, I think some of your long 

13* 



150 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

rules can be shortened. For your 
Eule First: Eat carefully. Spread 
your napkin out on your lap. Do 
not soil the table-cloth, &c., I would 
write : Eat genteelly. '^ 

''Excellent/^ said the father, ^'if 
everybody knew what genteelly 
means.'' 

''For your Eule Second; Bathe 
your feet every day in cold or warm 
water. Change your stockings fre- 
quently. See that your shoes are 
well cleaned. Beware where you 
step. Make good use of the scraper 
and mat at the door, &c., I would 
write, Kjeep your shoes clean and 
all within them." 

''Admirable,'' replied the father. 

" For your Eule Third ; Never in- 
crease the rapidly decreasing class 



HIS NEATNESS. 151 

of persons who spit on the floor, on 
the hearth, in the church, &c., I 
would write : Never spit.'' 

'' But, my son, there is no chewing 
tobacco, without it.'' 

''It is a strong argument, my 
father, against the weed." 

'' To keep your rule, my child, I 
must for ever lay down my tobacco- 
box." 

''To keep my rule, father, I will 
never take it up." 




v 



152 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER XX. 



HIS POLITENESS. 



My dear James, — A thousand 
youth, perhaps, could have been 
found to equal Thomas in polite- 
ness ; but it would have been difficult 
to find one to excel him, Now, as 
genuine politeness is the result of 
many excellencies, I think it is a 
part of his character which may be 
profitably considered. I saw his 
politeness. I felt it. Real polite- 
ness, like the sun, is always felt, if 
seen. It cheers and warms the 
heart. 

Nothing is more universally ad- 



HIS POLITENESS. 153 

mired by persons of all ages, prin- 
ciples, habits and conditions, than 
true politeness. The dullest feel its 
influence. The most hardened are 
softened by it. It has a word for 
all, a smile for all, an obliging act 
for all. I saw so much of his 
manner that I can well imagine 
that he was spoken of in the fol- 
lowing terms. I will suppose some 
conversations which I believe will 
represent him to you just as he . 
was. 

'' Mother, '' says some little child, 
''I am glad that Thomas Paul has 
come. Will you let me go and see 
him? JSTo matter how many are in 
the room, he always says something 
to me.'' Another interrupts him, 
saying, ''That is nothing strange. 



154 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

He always says sometliing to me 
too^ and to everybody. When lie 
was liere before, while he was talk- 
ing to mother, he took hold of my 
hand. I am as glad that he has 
come as you are.'' ''Ton may both 
go and see him a little while ; but 
let me tell you first, if you would 
be truly polite, you must do as he 
does, you must notice every one 
present.'' 

. An aged man remarks, ''I found 
the house crowded. But while I 
was standing at the door, Thomas 
Paul beckoned me to come and take 
his seat. How much that was like 
him. One day he saw me trying 
to open a gate. He ran up, opened 
it, and held it till I passed through. 
When I thanked him, he said, ' It is 



HIS POLITENESS. 155 

a pleasure/ and passed on. I wish 
that all young people would take 
pleasure in showing little kind at- 
tentions to an old man like myself. 
It is one of the best signs of good 
breeding.'' 

A lady observes, ''I was very 
much amused in seeing Thomas 
Paul in an argument with some of 
his companions. He was inter- 
rupted several times. But he was 
too polite to interrupt any of them. 
At one time, some advantage was 
apparently gained over him, and a 
loud laugh followed. He took it 
good-naturedly, and said, 'A laugh 
is no argument.' He added, 'While 
you are laughing, I will find the 
very page to prove what I said.' 
He opened the history, and in a 



156 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

very earnest manner read a few 
sentences, which settled the ques- 
tion in his favour. I never saw 
him appear to so great an advan- 
tage as he did at that moment. 
He did not exult in the least, but, 
shutting up the book, he opened 
another full of engravings, and, in 
a pleasant manner, changed the 
conversation. '^ 

Another lady says, ''What I ad- 
mire in him exceedingly is, his 
attentiveness to all around him. 
His mother dropped her scissors. 
He stepped round and picked them 
up immediately. One remarked, ' It 
is very warm.' 'Will you have the 
other window raised?' said he. I 
never saw any one of his age more 
mindful of the comfort of others/' 



HIS POLITENESS. 157 

A friend replies, ''While you 
were thinking of his obliging spirit, 
I was observing his easy manner. 
It all appears natural in him. He 
does not forget himself so as to act 
awkwardly. He does not think of 
himself so as to act affectedly. He 
seems to have a desire to please, 
and to know what will please. This 
desire and this knowledge give a 
graceful air to all his conduct. '' 

A companion remarks, ''He was 
never known to tease any one. If a 
play-fellow fell, he would ask, ' Are 
you hurt?' So far from inventing 
nick-names, he would not repeat 
them after others. 'Don't call him 
by that name,' he would say, 'for I 
am certain it will hurt his feelings./ 
He never addressed any of us in a 

14 



158 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

rough, boisterous, rude manner. He 
always spoke politely, even when 
most excited-'^ 

A minister writes, ''Thomas 
Paul could assign reasons for his 
opinions with admirable ease and 
clearness. But I observed, in all 
my conversations with him, that he 
appeared more anxious to listen 
than to talk. Indeed, I think I 
never saw a youth more invariably 
disposed to listen. His manner of 
asking for information was so polite, 
that I almost forgot he was but 
thirteen.'^ 

I am very confident, my dear 
James, that the politeness of Tho- 
mas C. Paul fully corresponded with 
the above sketch. That you may 
see in what estimation great and 



HIS POLITENESS. 159 

good men hold true politeness, I 
will copy a few lines written by the 
celebrated William Penn: ''I love 
sweetness mixed with gravity, and 
cheerfulness tempered with sobriety. 
Eeligion in the heart leads into this 
true civility, teaching men and wo- 
men to be mild and courteous in 
their behaviour, an accomplishment 
worthy indeed of praise.'' 




160 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER XXL 

HIS DEVOTION TO THE CAUSE OF TEM- 
PERANCE. 

My dear James, — Thomas had 
from his earliest years steadfastly 
refused to partake of spirituous 
stimulants. But in this age, when 
so many of our lovely youth firmly 
withstand every temptation to this 
dangerous indulgence, he may be 
regarded, in this respect, as one of 
a very numerous class, rather than 
as a singular instance. A single 
generation ago, his course would 
have appeared very remarkable. 

But now he has left behind him 
happy crowds of determined youth, 



DEVOTION TO TEMPERANCE. 161 

who never touch the intoxicating 
cup. By persevering in this course, 
they will be saved from countless 
ills. But others, who tarry long at 
the wine, which ''at last biteth like 
a serpent, and stingeth like an 
adder,'' will have wo, and sorrow, 
and contentions, and babblings, 
and wounds without cause, and red- 
ness of eyes. 

Let it be deeply impressed on 
your mind, my dear James, that 
the calamities resulting from intem- 
perance are indescribably awful; 
and that any youth who allows 
himself to drink any alcoholic beve- 
rage is in very great danger of 
utter ruin. On the other hand, 
this band, freely pledged to safe 
principles, as far as these evils are 

14* 



162 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

concerned, resembles a clear moun- 
tain rill of sparkling water. In 
their onward progress they touch no 
corrupting mixture, to deprive them 
of their native brightness. 

Beloved and admired as he was 
by the coloured people, Thomas 
knew, that, notwithstanding his 
early age, he might hope to interest 
them in the cause of temperance. 
He argued with them. He read to 
them extracts from documents. He 
repeated to them remarks from 
addresses. Several yielded to his 
persevering solicitation. If any one 
violated the pledge, he earnestly 
entreated him to make a second 
trial. 

So benevolent an effort to instruct 
the ignorant, prosecuted for years, 



DEVOTION TO TEMPERANCE. 163 

must necessarily have improved 
him in many resj^ects, especially in 
the use of language. His remark- 
able fluency of speech and readiness 
in argument resulted in part, no 
doubt, from these continued exer- 
cises. In teaching others we instruct 
ourselves. ''He that watereth shall 
be watered also himself.'' 

In my next letter I will give yon 
an extract from a temperance ad- 
dress which he delivered before his 
fellow-students, on a public occa- 
sion. I will here say a few things 
respecting his style of speaking. 
It was so remarkably eloquent, so 
uniformly happy, that he had pre- 
viously been elected a member of a 
debating society, of which he con- 
tinued to be, up to his death, by far 



164 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

the youngest member, and, it is be- 
lieved, one of the most esteemed 
disputants. 

The youthfulness of his appear- 
ance, his graceful form and natural 
gestures, his kindling animation, 
his sparkling bright eye and great 
self-possession, and the softness 
and compass of his well-modulated, 
flowing voice, threw a charm around 
ideas, Avhich, pronounced indifferent- 
ly by one of mature years, might 
not have appeared to possess any 
rare excellence. 

And now, dear James, let me 
exhort you wholly to abstain from 
all intoxicating liquors. It is the 
only safe course. I lately saw a 
young man who had been brought 
up in circumstances similar to your 



DEVOTION TO TEMPERANCE. 



16^ 



own, evidently under the influence 
of ardent spirits. He has akeady 
injured his character, and wasted 
the greatest portion of a large es- 
tate. And yet I heard him say, he 
hoped to be saved, in answer to his 
mother's prayers. Still he drinks. 
What infatuation ! From so low a 
degradation, you may be saved, in 
the good providence of God, by 
total abstinence from all that can 
intoxicate. 




166 THOMAS C- PAUL. 



LETTER XXII. 

AN EXTRACT FROM HIS ADDRESS ON TEM- 
PERANCE. 

My DEAR James, — Here is the pro- 
mised extract from Thomas's speech. 
''That the debased drunkard should 
join the total abstinence society, will 
not be denied by any one, because 
by total abstinence alone can he 
be reclaimed, and restored to repu- 
tation, health and happiness. But 
that the moderate drinker, and 
those who, perhaps, do not drink at 
all, should join it, many deny. 

''To the moderate drinker, we 
would remark, that the drunkard 



ADDRESS ON TEMPERANCE. 167 

was once like himself- He took his 
glass a day, and when warned of 
his danger, would laugh and say, 
that he could restrain his appetite 
for liquor if he chose. But, alas! 
he tampered with temptation ; and 
in his fall confidence of safety 
fell. 

''Where is he now? Go to the 
gutter, and see him covered with 
rags and pollution, scoffed and jeered 
at by the thoughtless and unfeel- 
ing. 

" Go to his home, if home he has, 
and see him there. His children 
crouch and tremble at his approach. 
His sorrow-stricken, heart-broken 
wife gives vent to her overcharged 
feelings by a flood of tears. 

'' Now it is possible, by embrac- 



168 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

ing the principles of total absti- 
nence, this degraded and miserable 
creature may be fortunately rescued. 
It is likewise possible, that, by neg- 
lecting these principles, the mode- 
rate drinker, who has never regarded 
himself in the slightest danger, may 
become equally abandoned. 

'' Let us look at a case in point. 
A little more than three years ago, 
on an extremely cold night, shiver- 
ing in a grog-shop in Cincinnati, 
sat a young man about twenty-five 
years of age, but apparently much 
older. He was evidently a victim 
of a depraved appetite. 

''At length an acquaintance of 
his, by the name of Simmons, en- 
tered. After looking at him a mo- 
ment, he said to the bar-keeper, 



ADDRESS ON TEMPERANCE. 169 

' Brown, why do you let this loafer 
sit here, to the annoyance of respect- 
able people ?' 

'' 'I have often told him to keep 
away from this place,' replied the 
barkeeper. ' The next time he comes 
here drunk, I will send him head 
and heels into the street.' This in- 
sulting question and the harshness 
of the answer cut poor William H. 
to the quick. 

'' Though he was degraded, he had 
one virtue left, and that was deci- 
sion. He arose to go ; he knew not 
whither. The God of mercy, against 
whom he had so outrageously sinned, 
was his guide. Two years passed 
away. William H. had become a 
reformed man and a respectable 
member of society. 

15 



170 THOMAS C, PAUL. 

'' One morning he took up a daily- 
newspaper, and his eyes fell upon 
the words, ' Coroner's inquest/ To 
his astonishment and grief, he read 
that George Simmons, this moderate 
drinker, who spoke so scornfully 
of his presence, had died in an 
alms-house, from the effects of in- 
temperance ! 

'' So much for temperate drinking. 
Now the man who does not drink 
spirits at all, is certainly in no 
danger, if he will determinately 
persevere in his present course. 
Possibly by joining a total absti- 
nence society, his steadfastness may 
be rendered more absolutely cer- 
tain. 

''But he should take this step, 
for the sake of his influence. In 



ADDRESS ON TEMPERANCE. 171 

union is strength. Every virtuous 
man should strive to make and pre- 
serve others virtuous. We should 
not labour for ourselves alone. Why 
should he not join the society if he 
never drinks aught that can intoxi- 
cate ? Certainly no harm can grow 
out of it, and great good may be the 
result.'^ 

Such, my dear James, were his 
sentiments. Such was his manner 
of presenting them. But, as you 
have already been informed, he did 
not recommend one course and pur- 
sue another. Happy himself, in 
being free from all desire of the in- 
toxicating cup, he wished that all 
others might share in the same rich 
blessing. 



172 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER XXIII. 

HIS LAST ILLNESS. 

My dear James, — Thomas's last 
illness was long and painful. Early 
in the spring of 1845, after a win- 
ter of much affliction, his disease 
was regarded as decidedly danger- 
ous. An abscess had formed in his 
back. No applications could remove 
it. A severe surgical operation was 
necessary. ''I will bear it,'' he said, 
''as well as I can." 

I have heard his physician say, 
that he never saw any one exhibit 
more fortitude than he exhibited on 
that trying occasion. Considering 



HIS LAST ILLNESS. 173 

the age of his patient, he spoke of 
it as very remarkable; indeed, al- 
most incredible. A Christian can 
serve God by suffering his will with 
resignation, as well as by doing his 
will with fidelity. As we are yet 
'^in the flesh,'' we know not what is 
before ns. But God can always 
support us. 

The dressing of the abscess was, 
for a long time, very painful. He 
submitted to it without a murmur, 
merely requesting that it might be 
done by his mother. He fancied, 
(and it was a very natural fancy in 
a sick child,) that no one could at- 
tend to him so gently as his fond 
mother. Besides, it soothed him to 
hear her expressions of sympathy 
and encouragement. 

15* 



174 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

It is pleasant to consider his 
heroic manliness in enduring so 
much acute pain. But some can 
bear great afflictions with fortitude, 
who give way to discontent and 
peevishness, when tried by months 
of weakness and confinement. Tou 
will be gratified to learn, that, week 
after week, he never showed the 
least impatience. On one occasion, 
and I believe it was the only occa- 
sion for a long period, he wept. 
''What is the matter, Thomas?'' 
said his mother. ''I was thinking, 
my mother,'' he replied, ''that if I 
live, I shall always be a cripple." 

He was not only patient, but for 
the greater portion of the time very 
cheerful. He frequently uttered 
expressions like this: "I have every 



HIS LAST ILLNESS. 175 

thing that I desire!'' How many 
who murmur at their lot would be 
more than barely contented, if they 
bore in mind the blessings with 
which they are favoured, and the 
evils from which they are exempt. 

As long as he was able to read, 
he read much, particularly in the 
Bible. He also conversed freely. 
When he became weaker, he took 
much pleasure in listening to others. 
He was very fond of hearing hymns 
sung. In this exercise he would 
take part, so far as he had strength 
to do so. 

During his illness he appears to 
have had very clear evidence of the 
favour of God. He firmly believed 
that he was pardoned and accepted 
of God through repentance and faith 



176 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

in Jesus Christ. On one occasion 
lie said, ''I do believe that God has 
heard my prayer/' Can a youth, 
my dear James, have a more de- 
lightful reflection than that the 
great and glorious God of the 
universe has heard his supplica- 
tion? 

At times his joy seemed to be 
inexpressibly great. He heard a 
Christian, who had recovered from 
a dangerous illness, say, ''The nearer 
I thought myself to death, the hap- 
pier I felt.'' ''That,'' said he, "is 
just my experience.'' Once he re- 
marked, upon seeing how sad his 
relatives were whenever he was 
worse, "When you are the most 
gloomy, I am the most happy." He 
repeatedly expressed his thankful- 



HIS LAST ILLNESS. 177 

ness to God, and his reliance on 
His grace in these two lines : 

" ril praise him for all that is past, 
And trast him for all that's to come." 

How clearly do we see, in his ex- 
perience, the loveliness of early 
piety ! Here was a youth, exhausted 
with a wasting illness, in an ecstasy 
of grateful emotions, feeling that he 
was blessed with all that was neces- 
sary to his happiness ; while many, 
doubtless, of his own age, were at 
that very hour miserable, under 
the influence of pride, envy, re- 
venge, or some other guilty passion. 

He often repeated hymns, or 
quoted passages from the Bible, in 
a sweet, well-modulated voice, while 
a serene contentment was indicated 
by the placid features of his pale, 



178 THOMAS G. PAUL. 

expressive countenance. The last 
hymn he ever sang through, con- 
tained this stanza : 

" Thougli troubles assail, and dangers affright, 
Though friends should all fail, and foes all unite, 
Yet one thing secures us, whatever betide, 
The promise assures us, the Lord will provide/' 

After singing the words, ''the 
Lord will provide,'' he said, with 
great solemnity, ''Tes, mother, I 
hope so.'- 

One day he said, ''My sufferings 
are severe, but my pain of body is 
not so great as my grief in hearing 
my mother's sighs, and in witness- 
ing her distress." His frequent re- 
marks, of a similar nature, and his 
constant conduct, clearly evinced 
that he was less thoughtful of his 
own than of his mother's sufferings. 



HIS LAST ILLNESS. 179 

What a beautiful, and sublime, 
and touching picture of filial gra- 
titude and love! He saw all his 
youthful hopes of earthly happiness 
cut down like flowers prematurely 
to wither: he saw his own fair form 
bereft of much comeliness, and has- 
tening to decay. He felt, in his once 
active limbs, all the weakness of 
extreme old age. He was, in a great 
measure, deprived of the delightful 
and long-indulged pleasure of read- 
ing. He was no longer permitted 
to mingle in the active scenes of the 
town; to see nature in her sweet 
variety of fields and forests, streams, 
valleys and mountains. He was no 
longer able to receive many of his 
friends and companions. Yet under 
all these deprivations, and with 



180 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

mucli intense pain, he again and 
again strove to comfort his mother, 
and in his efforts felt that his deep 
sympathy with her, in the anguish 
of anticipated bereavement, was the 
greatest part of his distress. 

About a week before his death, 
he requested that they would sing 
for him the hymn commencing 
with 

" I would not live alway," &c. 

While singing the words, 

'^ I would not live alway, no, welcome the tomb. 
Since Jesus has lain there, I dread not its gloom," 

he looked up to his mother, who 
was standing close to his bed, and 
smiling, said, ''My mother, there is 
no gloom there for me." 



IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. 181 



LETTER XXIV. 

AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. 

My dear James, — A conversation 
most important in its results will 
now l3e related. One day Ms mo- 
ther and himself were alone. As 
his life was despaired of, some allu- 
sion was made to his approaching 
end. Now many a mother would 
have regarded it a kindness to per- 
suade her child that his life was in 
little danger. Many a child would 
have shunned so awful a subject. 
To him it was not painful. To 
both it was a subject of most in- 
tense interest. 

16 



182 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

She said to him, '' My son, is there 
any thing on your mind that you 
wish me to attend to for you?'' 

He replied/' Tes, my mother.'' He 
then requested that she would give 
his watch to his sister-in-law; his 
gun to a school-fellow to whom he was 
much attached ; his new Latin Lexi- 
con to a young friend, the soA of a 
widow who was in straitened cir- 
cumstances; and other articles as 
she might think proper. 

''Is there," said she, "nothing 
else, my son?" 

He had frequently been with his 
mother in the narrow disagreeable 
lanes of the poor. He had heard 
dialogues between her and ragged, 
sorrowful children, like this : 

" Have you no better clothes?" 



IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. 183 

''No:' 

''Can you spell and read?'' 

''No:' 

''Where do you live?'' 

"I am here now, but I do not 
know where I shall be." 

"Who is your mother?" 

" My mother is dead." 

He had himself gone to the 
wretched rooms of the poor to 
supply their wants. He knew the 
worst feature in the condition of 
such children is the want of instruc- 
tion; and their exposure to vice. 
On the Sabbath-morning no kind 
hand led them to church. 

He had seen another side of the 
picture. He had seen orphan chil- 
dren, who had been taken into an 
asylum. They were well clad. Their 



184 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

manners were improved. They were 
daily receiving important knowledge. 
Their cheerful and animated counte- 
nances seemed to answer the above 
questions thus: ''We can all spell, 
madam, and read too. "We have other 
nice clothes. It is true we have 
all lost our affectionate mothers, but 
we have here found a dear good 
mother. Besides, all the ladies who 
come to see us speak kindly and 
smile. We have good beds, good 
rooms, good food and light hearts.'^ 
He had heard his mother fre- 
quently express a desire to have 
such an asylum established in the 
town. He had been silently re- 
flecting upon the subject, that he 
might be the instrument, even on 
his death-bed, of gratifying her 



IMPORTANT CONYERSATION. 185 

whom he dearly loved; and also 
of doing a vast amount of good to 
friendless and houseless orphans. 

With these thoughts, which had 
taken possession of his mind, he 
said, — in answer to his mother's se- 
cond question, ''Is there nothing 
else, my son?'' — 

'' My mother, I want you to ask 
father to buy a lot, out of the por- 
tion of his estate which would have 
fallen to my share, and to establish 
upon it an Orphan Asylum." 

I need not say that his father 
was surprised and delighted with 
this request. Indeed, it is affecting 
even to a stranger to see a pale, 
suffering youth, forgetting himself, 
and planning for the poor : not un- 

16* 



186 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

mindful of his few days, but more 
mindful of coming generations. 

'' It shall be done/^ said his father. 
Nineteen months afterwards, the 
asylum was opened and received a 
company of needy children ! 

This conversation, by its result, 
has reminded me of a public meet- 
ing held at York, in England. It 
was a meeting of noblemen and 
others, to devise a monument for 
William Wilberforce, one of the best 
and greatest of men. The Chan- 
cellor of England, Lord Brougham, 
was in the chair. One arose and 
said, that he could think of no better 
monument for Mr. Wilberforce than 
an asylum for blind children, to be 
called by his name. The sugges- 



IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. 187 

tion was adopted, and immense sums 
were subscribed for it. 

They procm^ed a part of the old 
Abbey of Saint Mary, which king 
Henry the Eighth, more than three 
hundred years before, converted into 
a palace. Being in York last sum- 
mer, I saw, on the Sabbath, more 
than thirty blind boys going to 
church with their teacher. A boy 
who could see, led them by a long 
cord, which, two by two, about a yard 
apart, they all held. Then followed 
the blind girls in the same manner. 
Should you ever be in York, go to 
the old palace and see them. It 
wiU do your heart good. I found 
more than sixty pupils. They ap- 
peared very happy. A class in 
Arithmetic was before the teacher. 



188 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

It would have amused you to see 
their mode of ciphering. A little 
boy was called up to read for me- 
He laid his fingers on the letters 
and read delightfully. And should 
you ever be in Petersburg, (Virginia,) 
inquire for this orphan asylum. 
There you will see bright faces, and 
hear happy voices. Both institu- 
tions will doubtless last for ages 
upon ages. Did ever a man have a 
better monument than William Wil- 
berforce ? Did ever a youth have a 
better monument than Thomas C. 
Paul? Yet I am confident that 
neither aimed at a monument. " He 
builds too low who builds beneath 
the skies." 



FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM. 189 



LETTER XXV. 

"the THOMAS C. PAUL FEMALE ORPHAN 
ASYLUM." 

My dear James, — In my last 
letter I informed you that Thomas, 
on his death-bed, aided by his mo- 
ther, secured the establishment of 
a Female Orphan Asylum, which 
went into operation on the first day 
of January, 1847. The Legislature 
of Virginia incorporated it under 
the name and style of ''The Thomas 
C. Paul Female Orphan Asylum." 

This tribute of respect paid to 
his name, under the sanction of the 
State Legislature, may do much 



190 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

good. It will certainly make a 
deed, worthy of remembrance and 
Ml of interest, more extensively 
known. It may lead many a youth 
to inquire into his manner of life, 
and to emulate his virtues. It may 
result in correct views and good re- 
solutions. Correct views and good 
resolutions, early embraced, must 
greatly affect the whole life. 

A child born to wealth may say, 
''Father, what does 'The Thomas 
C. Paul Female Orphan Asylum' 
mean?" When it is all explained, 
and his little heart is warmed with 
an account of poor orphans made 
happy, he may add, "Father, if I 
die as young as Thomas C. Paul 
died, I wish you would build an 
asylum for poor orphan boys, or in 



FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM. 191 

some other way do good to the poor 
and suffering." The child of poor 
parents may say, ''Mother, if I ever 
get to be a rich man, I will build a 
large house, and fill it with mother- 
less children, and give them all new 
clothes and every thing good.'^ In 
such kind and generous feelings 
they may first taste the luxury of 
benevolence. Ever after they may 
befriend the orphan and all who 
are in distress. 

I will, my dear James, give you 
some account of the asylum itself. 
It is under the efficient direction 
and control of a first and second 
directress, and twelve other ladies, 
who constitute a board of mana- 
gers. Divided into committees, 
they visit the asylum three times 



192 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

a month, and hold quarterly and 
special meetings. Their term of 
office is for one year. 

It is the duty of the matron, to 
whom the children are committed, 
to provide plain and wholesome 
food for their meals ; to be faithful, 
tender, and diligent in the care of 
their health and morals ; to preserve 
order and decorum in their conduct ; 
to train them up in habits of in- 
dustry and usefulness, and to read 
the Scriptures, and hold family 
prayer with them, morning and 
evening. They are taught spelling, 
reading, writing, and the five com- 
mon rules of arithmetic ; also sewing, 
marking, knitting, washing, ironing, 
kitchen and household work. 

I will give you an extract from 



FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM. 193 

a letter written by a gentleman wIlo 
lately saw these orphans. ''The 
present number/' he writes, '4s 
sixteen. A happier or more healthy 
parcel of children, I have rarely seen. 
This, I believe, is the general remark 
of those who visit the asylum — I 
mean, of strangers and all who are 
unconnected with it.'' My dear 
James, is it not delightful to think 
of this large, contented, peaceful 
family in their well-furnished, com 
fortable dwelling, with its pleasant 
lot attached, where they can all 
breathe the fresh air undisturbed ? 
Will they not love one another as 
sisters, and the kind ladies who 
watch over them as mothers ? 

In nineteen months after the 
death of Thomas, this cheerful fami- 

17 



194 THOMAS C, PAUL. 

ly of children was organized. That 
winter, they numbered, if I mistake 
not, fourteen. They were collected 
from their uncomfortable abodes at 
a very opportune time. Soon the 
measles prevailed, and proved fatal 
to many children. The inmates of 
the asylum found, during their ill- 
ness, many comforts and attentions 
which they would not have received, 
if the disease had overtaken them 
a few weeks before. 

They found themselves in plea- 
sant rooms. A good physician was 
promptly called in to their aid. 
Benevolent ladies were with them, 
day and night, for some of them 
were very ill. Can the girls who 
survived, forget the kindness which 
they then received? Do they not 



FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM* 195 

thank God ? Are they not grateful to 
their benefactors ? I hope so truly. 
Many are the unthankful. But 
there is much genuine gratitude in 
the world. Ingratitude is hateful 
in the eyes of God and man. 

You will be sorry to learn that 
two of the orphans died of the 
measles. But during their short 
residence in their new home, they 
had been taught to worship God. 
May we not hope their prayers were 
answered? In the providence of 
God, may not the early death of 
Thomas C. Paul result in a long 
life to some, and in eternal life to 
many ? The thought has occurred 
to my mind, that these two spirits 
may have met in heaven, and have 



196 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

been already recognised as the first 
fruits of this great enterprise. 

When ages shall have slowly rolled 
away, this asylum will probably be 
in successful operation. Then his 
birth-day may be observed by or- 
phans, and even by families made 
happy, under God, through his 
piety and forethought. Then one 
may say, ''My mother was educated 
in the asylum ;'' another may add, 
''So was my grandmother.'^ Then 
may one with a trembling voice re^ 
mark, "I am one of the very few 
who live to extreme old age. My 
children, my grandchildren, and 
their children, are nearly one hun- 
dred. They are mostly virtuous. 
Many of them are very pious. All 
this we owe to the good providence 



FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM. 



197 



of God, who by his servants led me 
from a miserable lane, where I was 
exposed to all manner of evil, to 
the Thomas C. Paul Female Orphan 
Asylum in Petersburg/' 




17* 



198 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER XXVL 

HIS DEATH. 

My dear James, — It was a matter 
of great consolation to the relatives 
of Thomas, that God was pleased to 
favour him with a perfect command 
of all his faculties up to the last mo- 
ment of his life. His reason never 
for an instant left him. Death ap- 
proached so surely, that all hope of 
recovery was given up by his friends 
and himself. Death approached so 
slowly, that, for several days, the 
general inquiry was, ''Is he alive ?'^ 

When Job was overwhelmed with 
all his calamities, and his wife 



HIS DEATH. 199 

urged him ''to curse God and die/' 
lie exclaimed, ''What! shall we re- 
ceive good at the hand of God, and 
shall we not receive evil?'' And it 
is added, "In all this did not Job 
sin with his lips." So in these 
slow hours of pain and perfect pros- 
tration, there fell not from the lips 
of Thomas a single word unworthy 
of a dying Christian. Truly, " Great 
peace have they that keep the law 
of the Lord." 

One morning, three or four days 
before his departure, when his mo- 
ther entered the room, she perceived 
that he had some thought to com- 
municate. "My mother," said he, 
in a faint voice, "I want you to be 
willing to give me up. The Lord's 
will must be done. He knows best- 



200 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

I have two Kttle brothers in heaven. 
It is better that I should go to 
them.^' He added, ''I wish to be 
resigned.'^ He paused, and said 
emphatically, ''I am resigned to the 
will of the Lord.'^ 

About this period he quoted these 
words to his mother: ^'JSTone of us 
liveth to himself, and no man dieth 
unto himself. For whether we live, 
we live unto the Lord ; and whether 
we die, we die unto the Lord. 
Whether we live therefore or die, we 
are the Lord's.'' This was certainly 
a very remarkable quotation, whe- 
ther we consider his years, or his 
death resulting in the establish- 
ment of an orphan asylum. 

He laid hold of such divine pro- 
mises as these: ''Fear not, for I 



HIS DEATH. 201 

have redeemed thee. Thou art 
mine. When thou passest through 
the waters, I will be with thee ; and 
through the rivers, they shall not 
overflow thee: when thou walkest 
through the fire, thou shalt not be 
burned ; neither shall the flame kin- 
dle upon thee.'' He realized these 
promises, and could say, ''Though 
I walk through the valley of the 
shadow of death, I will fear no evil : 
for thou art with me ; thy rod and 
thy stajff they comfort me.'' 

Among other lines, it is remem- 
bered that he repeated these : 

" My suffering time shall soon be o'er, 
Then shall I sigh and weep no more ; 
My ransomed soul shall soar away, 
To sing God's praise in endless day." 

Perhaps you remember, dear 



202 THOMAS C, PAUL. 

James, the beautiful and affecting 
verses in the twenty-first chapter 
of Eevelation, beginning with these 
words: ''God shall wipe away all 
tears from their eyes/' How con- 
fidently did he look forward to the 
speedy fulfilment of this sustaining 
promise ! 

He was evidently happy in the 
belief that God, for Christ's sake, 
had pardoned his sins, and gracious- 
ly favoured him with the immediate 
presence of the Holy Spirit, bear- 
ing witness with his spirit, and 
filling his soul ''with joy unspeak- 
able/' Several times he remarked, 

" Jesus can make a dying bed 
Feel soft as downy pillows are ; 
While on bis breast I lean my head, 
And breathe my life out sweetly there/' 



HIS DEATH. 203 

On the evening before he expired, 
he appeared unconscious. His mo- 
ther said, '' My child, speak to your 
mother; is Jesus with you?'' He 
made no reply. His father said, 
''He will never speak again;" and 
then requested his brother, Mr. Wil- 
liam Paul, to commend him to God 
in prayer. Soon after, when some 
members of the family wept aloud, 
he opened his eyes, as from a sleep, 
and said, ''Don't do so. Go to your 
rooms and compose yourselves." 

Late in the last night of his life, 
when every hour seemed to be his 
last, he said, with that considerate- 
ness which was one of the most 
striking features of his character, 
"Now, my mother, go and take 
your rest. Others can do every 



204 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

thing that is necessary.'' Just be- 
fore lie expired, he tried to speak, 
but his tongue had become for ever 
silent. His mother leaned over 
him and said, ''My child, it is your 
own dear mother." He sweetly 
smiled. It was the last effort of 
nature. It was a rainbow on life's 
last cloud. Said one, who in tears 
witnessed that closing interview be- 
tween the mother and the child who 
had been so constantly together for 
thirteen years, ''I would not have 
missed seeing that smile on any 
account." Tell me, my dear James, 
is it not worth a life of self-denial, 
to smile in death ? 



HIS uncle's letter. 205 



LETTER XXVII. 

HIS uncle's letter. 

My dear James, — To give you an 
idea of the estimation in which 
Thomas was held by his relatives, 
the following extract is taken from 
a letter written by his uncle, Mr. 
William Paul, a merchant of Porta- 
down, in Ireland, whom I men- 
tioned in my last letter. This un- 
cle saw him for the first time during 
his last illness, which was both pro- 
tracted and painful. 

Thomas had anticipated this visit 
with a pleasure which he fully real- 
ized. He had often read letters 

18 



206 THOMAS C. PAUL, 

from this esteemed relative. He 
had for years been fully acquainted 
with the depth of his piety, the 
warmth of his affections, and his 
engaging manners. JSTothing could 
surpass the tenderness of their inter- 
course. With a difference of about 
forty years in their ages, they con- 
versed with all the freedom and 
familiarity of two confiding friends, 
who had grown up in habits of 
the closest intimacy from their very 
childhood. 

Thomas had so cultivated his 
mind as to make himself interest- 
ing as a companion to the most 
intelligent. Mr. Paul, amid all the 
cares and excitement of a busy life, 
had preserved his social feelings in 
all their youthful freshness. But 



HIS uncle's letter. 207 

their religious views and hopes, 
more than any thing else, united 
their hearts in delightful fellow- 
ship. 

On one occasion, when his un- 
cle was about to read to him, he 
said, ''If you have not made se- 
lection of a hymn, please turn to 
the one beginning with 

^Vain, delusive world, adieu/'' 

As usual on such occasions, his 
soul seemed wholly occupied with 
pious and pleasing reflections. As 
soon as he was left alone with 
his mother, he exclaimed, while 
his eye was beaming with raptu- 
rous animation, ''Could any one 
ever be weary of hearing my uncle 
converse and pray?'^ 

Mr. Paul, on his return to Ire- 



208 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

land, a few weeks after the death 
of this affectionate nephew, wrote 
thus to the bereaved father: ''My 
first feeling was to tell you of my 
safe arrival, and then to talk over 
your recent bereavement. I hardly 
know what to say. I saw the wreck 
only of your precious boy. But I 
am very thankful that I saw what 
I did. 

''I have been dwelling on his 
whole character, his patience and re- 
signation, his well-instructed mind, 
his benevolent heart, his charity 
and love. Hundreds of times since 
I left you, have I dwelt on all I 
saw and heard ; and yet, all I knew 
was but little of his varied excel- 
lencies. 

''I have dwelt on the demon- 



HIS uncle's letter. 209 

stration of public feeling, the inqui- 
ries while he was living, the sympa- 
thy, the affection, the tears, when he 
was no more; your church at the 
funeral sermon, the funeral itself, 
and all. I have been thinking of 
all, and have been teUing my friends 
all. I have said to them, ' I never 
saw such a lad before, and I shall 
never again see his equal in this 
world.' While telling them this 
tale, the chord which vibrated in 
my heart influenced theirs also. 

''Since I saw and felt as I did 
and do feel, and others who never 
saw him feel as they do at your 
loss, what must be the emotions of 
his mother and yourself, who have 
watched over him month after month, 
in all his advancement in wisdom 

18* 



210 THOMAS G. PAUL. 

and knowledge, in all his devoted 
attachment to her and yourself, and 
who have looked to his future pros- 
pects, when he would be to you and 
to his friends, to his town and his 
country, an inestimable blessing? 

''What must be your feelings? I 
can enter into them a little, and 
but a little. I can only sympa- 
thize and pray. Your wound can 
be healed by that hand alone which 
was nailed to the cross. I have 
told my friends here how you com- 
mitted your cause and his to your 
heavenly Father, and how he sus- 
tained you in that dreadful hour. 

''As I was talking to one of our 
mutual friends, he remarked that 
such a lad as I told him of, if 
spared to manhood, would have out- 



HIS uncle's letter. 2H 

stripped us all, and would have had 
no compeers or associates.'' 

Such were the sentiments of this 
observing and conscientious uncle, 
who had every qualification and op- 
portunity necessary to form a just 
estimate of his character. 

Being lately in Ireland, I visited 
Mr. Paul, and heard him give a 
very interesting account of his con- 
versations with Thomas. He ad- 
mired his intelligence, his judgment, 
his easy, gentle manners, and his 
sweet, obliging disposition. But I 
observed he spoke particularly of 
his fervent piety and entire resig- 
nation to the will of God. Never 
did a nephew endear himself more 
to an uncle in so short a time. 



212 THOMAS C. PAUL. 



LETTER XXVIIL 

REMARKS BY HIS PHYSICIAN. 

My dear James, — ^Dr. William J. 
Mickie attended Thomas in Ms last 
illness. He found his youthful 
patient possessed of a social, affec- 
tionate and confiding disposition, 
inclined to make, and 'ready to 
answer inquiries. It was a great 
relief to his anxious mind to find 
his young friend so well prepared 
for the worst and most probable 
issue. Soon after the funeral, he 
wrote the following letter: 

'' During the early part of Thomas 
C. PauPs last illness, in which it 



REMAKKS BY HIS PHYSICIAN. 213 

was my lot to attend him, lie 
spent much of his time in reading. 
History, I think, was his favour- 
ite study; particularly sacred his- 
tory, from his knowledge of which, 
many a man of intelligence might 
have derived much useful instruc- 
tion. 

''His fortitude and patience dur- 
ing his long and painful affliction, 
surpassed any thing I have ever 
witnessed. When his kind and 
affectionate parents, whom he so 
tenderly loved, would bend over his 
rapidly wasting frame, or even enter 
the room with desponding looks, he 
would, though suffering much him- 
self, cheer them with his sprightly 
voice. 

''Often, very often, have I heard 



214 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

him say to his fond mother, ^My 
mother, don't look so sad. I am 
no worse.' Truly may it be said, 
that though but a child in years, 
and on his death-bed, yet was he 
the constant comforter of his dis- 
tressed parents and friends. 

*' During his illness, the time ar- 
rived when his father's business 
usually called him to the North. 
Thomas knew it. And though it 
was evident that it would cause 
him a great struggle to be sepa- 
rated from that dear father whose 
presence never failed to cause the 
smile to play upon his pale coun- 
tenance, yet, strange as it may 
appear, he insisted upon his going, 
saying, that duty must not be 
sacrificed to pleasure, that his hea- 



REMARKS BY HIS PHYSICIAN, 215 

venly Father and his mother would 
take care of him during his ab- 
sence. 

''His medicines, however nau- 
seous, were taken without a mur- 
mur. But such was his abhorrence 
of ardent spirits, from which he 
had always abstained, that when, 
from his rapidly declining strength, 
it was thought advisable to pre- 
scribe it, he at first positively refused 
to take it, saying, that he would 
take any thing else. He finally 
yielded to the urgent entreaties of 
his parents and friends. 

''The necessary pain attending 
the dressing of his abscess, he bore 
with fortitude far beyond his years ; 
particularly when that task, as was 
generally the case, was performed 



216 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

by the tender hands of his beloved 
mother. When finally he was told, 
that in all human probability he 
had not long to live, so far from 
being depressed, he became more 
cheerful than usual. 

''One morning, in the passage, I 
met his father, who told me that he 
had just communicated to his son 
the sad intelligence. What was my 
astonishment on entering his room, 
a few moments after, to find him 
in the most calm and cheerful mood. 
In a sweet and almost heavenly 
tone, he repeated to me what his 
father had said, and asked me if I 
thought so too. 

" Not answering him immediately, 
he entreated me not to be afraid to 
tell him, saying, that death and the 



EEMAEKS BY HIS PHYSICIAN. 217 

grave had no terrors for Mm, save 
that of a momentaiy separation 
from his parents and friends. When 
I told him that I feared his father's 
communication was but too true, 
he spoke in the most beautiful 
strains, and with perfect composure, 
of the mercies of a redeeming Sa- 
viour, and of the joys of that sweet 
heaven where he would soon again 
meet his father and mother, and all 
those who love God. 

''He repeated several most ap- 
propriate passages of Scripture in 
confirmation of Christ's love for 
those who seek him early. From 
that time he spoke much of death, 
of a future state, and of a full as- 
surance that he would dwell for 
ever with Jesus and the angels. 

19 



218 



THOMAS C. PAUL. 



For some eight or ten days previous 
to his death, I was unavoidably 
separated from him.'' 




Jl 



REMARKS BY HIS PASTOR. 219 



LETTER XXIX. 

REMARKS UPON HIS CHARACTER BY HIS 
PASTOR. 

My DEAR James, — From his ear- 
liest years Thomas frequently saw 
ministers of the gospel in his fa- 
ther's family. He was remarkably 
attentive to their instructions. How 
often since the days of the Shunam- 
ite, who provided the little chamber 
on the wall for Elisha, has the 
blessing of God descended upon the 
children of those who have enter- 
tained His servants. His pastor, 
the Eev. H. B. Cowles, in kindly 
furnishing the following testimony, 
may be regarded as expressing the 



220 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

common sentiments of many cler- 
gymen : — 

''This lovely and most interesting 
youth bore his painful afflictions, of 
fourteen weeks' continuance, with 
that patience which would have 
been becoming in a matured Chris- 
tian. For several weeks preceding 
his death, he was entirely satisfied 
of his acceptance with God, and 
the evidence which he gave of a 
change of heart was conclusive to 
his parents, and to those friends 
who heard his conversation, and 
witnessed his patient resignation. 

''About two weeks before his 
departure, when he was supposed 
to be dying, his father knelt at his 
bed-side and asked, "My son, does 
your heavenly Father accept you?'' 



KEMARKS BY HIS PASTOR. 221 

Being unable to speak, he promptly 
nodded assent, and, sweetly smiling, 
gave assurance that all was well. 

''At another time he said, he did 
not desire to recover ; that he read 
in the Bible that, when king Heze- 
kiah was sick, he prayed to be 
raised up, and the Lord answered 
his prayer, and added to his life 
fifteen years; that, after this, he 
departed from the Lord ; and that, 
if the Lord were to raise him up, 
he might do so too. 

''He was deeply impressed that 
he was not his own, but that he was 
bought with the precious blood of 
Jesus. His favourite passage of 
Scripture was Eom. xiv. 8 : ' Whe- 
ther we live, we live unto the Lord ; 
or whether we die, we die unto the 

19* 



222 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

Lord ; whether we live therefore, or 
die, we are the Lord^s.' "When in- 
formed that he would die, he spoke 
of the happiness which he would 
realize in meeting in heaven with 
his two little brothers, who had died 
some years before. 

''He frequently told his friends, 
and especially his afflicted mother, 
not to weep for him. Thomas was 
certainly a most remarkable youth. 
No one who ever visited his father's 
house could be otherwise than im- 
pressed with his manly intelligence 
and dignified bearing; for though 
but a child in years, he would often 
engage in conversation on serious 
and important subjects, and sustain 
himself in a manner that would 



REMARKS BY HIS PASTOR. 223 

have been creditable to one of ma- 
ture age- 

''He was fond of books, and de- 
voted to his studies, and thereby 
enriched his mind with useful infor- 
mation. He greatly delighted in 
administering to the wants of the 
poor and distressed. His zeal in 
the cause of missions was remark- 
able, and merits the highest com- 
mendation. He heard the gospel 
preached with great attention, and 
was admired for his obedience to 
his parents. 

''He was indeed the joy of the 
happy family circle and the delight 
of his numerous friends. Fond 
hopes had been cherished of his 
future usefulness, but God has seen 
fit to take him to himself; and 



224 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

while the hearts of afflicted parents 
and endeared relatives and friends 
bleed, it becomes all, in submission 
to the Divine will, to say, 'The Lord 
gave, and the Lord hath taken 
away; blessed be the name of the 
Lord; '' 

You will perceive, my dear James^ 
how this general view of his cha- 
racter corresponds with all the 
accounts which you have heretofore 
received. Owing to the absence of 
his pastor at the time of his death, 
another minister preached his fune- 
ral sermon. Unavoidably absent 
myself also, I learned with pleasure 
that his life was commented on, to 
an unusual concourse of sad and 
sympathizing citizens, in very im- 
pressive and appropriate terms. 



TRIBUTE TO HIS MEMORY. 225 



LETTER XXX. 

RESOLUTIONS PASSED AT HIS DEATH. 

My DEAR James, — It has already 
been mentioned that Thomas was 
the youngest member of a debating 
association, called ''The United 
Fraternity." In that society, the 
benevolence of his heart, his powers 
in argument, and his pleasing man- 
ners had appeared to great ad- 
vantage. Soon after his death was 
announced, the society met, and in 
all the solemnity of so mournful 
an occasion, paid the following 
tribute to his memory. 

''At a meeting of the United 



226 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

Fraternity Debating Association, 
held for the purpose of taking in 
consideration the death of the late 
Thomas C. Paul, a member of the 
society, and a student of the Peters- 
burg Classical Institute, it was 
unanimously 

' ' Eesolved, That it is with profound 
sorrow we view the dispensation of 
God's providence, which has de- 
prived our body of an interesting 
and highly valued member, and 
which has removed from the bosom 
of the community an individual in 
whom were so eminently united the 
qualities and capacities which dig- 
nify and adorn the social sphere. 

''Eesolved, That it becomes us, 
as rational and immortal beings, to 
bow with humble resignation, in 



TRIBUTE TO HIS MEMORY. 227 

riew of this afflicting dispensation 
of Divine providence, and relying 
on the promises of his word, and 
the hopes it inspires, devoutly to 
say, 'Thy will, Lord, be done.' 

''Eesolved, That we deeply sym- 
pathize with the afflicted family of 
the deceased ; and that we earnestly 
and unitedly trust, that in their 
distressing bereavement they may 
be sustained by the rich and en- 
dearing consolations of the gospel; 
and be enabled, by the Spirit of all 
grace, to yield an humble and fflial 
submission to the Divine will. 

''Resolved, That in testimony of 
our affection for the deceased, and 
in tribute of respect for his memory, 
we will wear the usual badge of 
mourning, for thirty days. 



228 THOMAS C. PAUL. 

''Eesolved, That a copy of these 
resolutions be transmitted to the 
family of the deceased, and to each 
of the editors in Petersburg, for 
publication.'^ 

The above resolutions, after being 
adopted by the society, were read 
to the assembled members of the 
Institute, and unanimously adopted 
by them, and then published in the 
newspapers of the town. They 
were the spontaneous effusions of 
more than one hundred associates, 
many of whom had known him in- 
timately for several years. 

Some of them were seen to weep 
at his funeral ; and all beheld, with 
unfeigned sorrow, his mortal re- 
mains sink into their narrow rest- 
ing-place. Above that sacred spot 



TEIBUTE TO HIS MEMORY. 229 

stands a marble monument, and on 
its side the device of an open Bible, 
with an appropriate quotation from 
its sacred page. 

But these, his youthful friends, will 
need no sculptor's aid to remember 
through life that his symmetrical 
character was moulded under the 
influence of Divine grace, by the 
holy precepts of the Bible. Many 
of them will probably speak of him, 
in future years, as having been, of 
all their acquaintances, the most 
remarkable instance of early excel- 
lence, as having been singularly 
kind, obliging and exemplary. 

I will close this letter, my dear 
James, with two observations. I 
do not remember to have read of 
any one under fourteen years of age, 

20 



230 



THOMAS C. PAUL. 



to whose memory so mucli respect 
'was universally jpaid by his com- 
panions. The youth that would 
have such friends must show him- 
self friendly. 




i 



DEC 20 1901 



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